Melissa

My cousin Melissa and I always laugh when we see this picture. It’s the perfect portrait of us as children. She with her knee patched blue jeans, orange vest,and short hair cut. Me in my pink ribbons and ruffled nightgown. Tom boy and Miss Priss.

Melissa and I were different. She liked to ride bikes, start fires, catch bugs and dig in dirt with my brother much more than she liked organizing jewelry boxes with me, but as we got older our differences narrowed, she managed to get over being jealous of my Wonder Women Underoos, and we became good friends. Here we are at the K-Mart photo booth about high school age. I know… you don’t have to say it…. my hair-do is awesome!

When I went to college at Utah State, I moved in with my grandparents. Although I loved living there, it was pretty lonely all by myself. Things really started looking up when Melissa moved in the next year. Those were good times. We had rooms across the hall from each other, we shared a small bathroom and a very (very) large car.

We had fun too. We never missed an episode of Colombo. Remember him? We watched every classic movie available at Somers Video. We went for long walks up the canyon, ate lots of graham crackers and ice cream, listened to the King and I soundtrack over and over, helped Grandma with her cross word puzzles, laughed heartily at Grandpa’s jokes, and even managed to study occasionally. It was Melissa who was responsible for getting me through chemistry. She was a much better student than me.

We double dated a lot too. I don’t think I would have dated much in college if hadn’t been for Melissa. Every guy she went out with (and there were quite a few) usually had a friend for me.

Before every date, Grandma would inspect our make-up and outfits. I wish I had a nickel for every lecture Melissa and I got about the importance of wearing lip-stick! Grandma held tightly to the firm belief that lipstick was essential when trying to catch a husband. Below is a  picture of us before a date. I think we passed inspection that night. See… we are both wearing lipstick.

It was actually because of Melissa that I met Mike. She was dating a guy who was friends with Mike. They set us up. Melissa was always a big fan of Mike. When other guys were around providing a little competition for him, she always rooted for him. She knew he was way better than any of those other guys. She was right.

After I got married, Melissa left for a mission to the Philippines. She could really gross me out with her stories of filthy rats, dinner plate sized spiders, and the constant battle with lice she fought while serving there. The little Pilipino kids were fascinated with her blond hair so they always shared their lice with her. Melissa has a much stronger stomach than me. I don’t think I would have survived any of that.

When Melissa got home from her mission she married Joe and soon after she had her first baby, David. That’s her with David below.

Just one month ago she gave birth to her 6th baby. A girl named Carly.

Yesterday I called Melissa and we talked on the phone for two hours. We don’t see each other often. We don’t talk often, but when we do we can talk forever. I love it. I love her.

Thanks for being such a great cousin Melissa.