My sister Carol

How would you like to send your child to this kindergarten teacher for the year? Yeah, so would I! She is all organized and ready to go for her first day of teaching.
My sister Carol has more pre-school and kindergarten supplies than any person I know. I'm pretty sure she's been collecting great teaching ideas most of her life. She started young, tending and playing with all the nieces and nephews who grew up near by and those who came to visit our home when she was young. She is a natural teacher of young children. She has had a pre-school in her home for the last 7 or 8 years and now she is going into the school system and teaching kindy. Her degree in early childhood education is being put to the test.
I want to sit on the reading rug and listen to a story read by Mrs. Carol. Isn't she great?

Besides being the best prepared kindergarten teacher of all time, my sister Carol is an amazing person. She truly is. She is a person without guile. She doesn't have a mean bone in her body. She is good through and through and she always has been. She is 10 years younger than I am and she has always been my dear friend and sister. No sibling fights, no intrigue. Just kindness and love. If I had to spent significant time on a deserted island, she is one of a handful of people I would choose to have on the island. She wears well and she is so fun to be around.
Carol can do hard things. She has proven this to herself and her family. Her dear husband Jon passed away 5 years ago this upcoming September 22, after succumbing to a brain tumor. He was ill for three years prior to his death and Carol lovingly cared for him and their children. Now she carries on, caring for their four children alone. She doesn't dwell on her challenges. She doesn't say "why me." She doesn't blame God. In fact, she shows tremendous faith through the way she lives her life. Her exemplary life gives new meaning to the phrase "endure to the end." But she doesn't just endure life, she embraces it. She loves life. She loves her children and her husband and she is a tremendous example to us all.
Just one year after her husband's death she was call by God to be the Relief Society president of her large home ward. We all thought the Bishop was crazy, wouldn't you? Seriously, what man calls a single women with four young children to lead a large women's organization to give relief to other women when she was in need of receiving some relief herself? The Bishop even said he didn't know why he felt so extremely impressed to call her to serve, but he was following strong promptings. This Relief Society responsibility is weighty and involves a lot of time and attention to detail. Carol had her hands full already. But our Heavenly Father knew what was needed and what was best for Carol. So He put her to work helping others and a miracle happened! What woman in the ward could say "no" to Carol? Sweet Carol was able to develop her already considerable skill set and add to it the qualities of leader, confidant and servant. She organized and planned. She delegated and friendshipped. She gained confidence and had a renewed sense of purpose in life. Her children helped and supported her and God made her equal to the task.
But still, I'm sure she has hard days/moments/hours of quiet heartache. You would never know though. It seems like she has allowed all the heartache to "give her experience and to be for her good." She has turned outward instead of inward, which is no small task. Only a strong person without guile could have the strength to do that. She is an amazing person and sister and I love her beyond expression. I'm very proud of you Mrs. Carol.