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Tribute to My Sweet Lissabee Sunshine
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Written in eternal love by MOME'
You know how someone can be so incredibly special to you, that their love completely fills your heart?....Even in those out of the way nooks and crannies. Just being in their presence can fill your heart with such joy you feel that it might burst from the intense happiness. Melissa was that person for me. Her love was so pure, sweet, unconditional, complete. Her smile could immediately light me up inside, no matter how gloomy I was feeling.
Last year, I had Valley Fever and was very ill. Melissa would gently climb into bed with me, snuggle up very close, rub my back, and watch movies with me until I was able to fall asleep. The "little nurturing mommy" in her was always on alert to make sure I took my medication, slept enough, ate right, and felt loved.
I have so many priceless memories of our times together. We loved to play cards; especially Nertz. Out of the millions of games we played, I think she might have let me win once or twice. And it wasn?t like she had to concentrate really hard to beat me either. You must understand, Melissa was the epitome of "multi-tasking"and simply could not do one thing at a time. So our card marathons usually coincided with a movie or maybe several other simultaneous events.
We had several special "Mom & Miss" TV shows that we watched together every week. Charmed, Everwood, Friends, and Gilmore Girls were the main attractions. If for some reason, one of us was otherwise engaged, we would tape the shows to watch together later. Gilmore Girls was our absolute favorite. Many a friend told us that we were the true "Rory and Loralie." Melissa was incredibly gifted and became bored rather easily. I'll never forget how she questioned her kindergarten teacher daily about just "WHEN" they were going to learn to read. After a few days, and much frustration on the part of both student and teacher, she simply taught herself. I still don't know "how," but she did. Lissa absolutely loved books. In fact, I'm fairly certain that she was born with a book in her hand, as she was in high school before we could convince her that you didn't have to take a book into the restaurant with you.
Another case in point, Melissa has always loved jig-saw puzzles. But in recent years, she felt that they lacked an adequate level of challenge, so she began to do them upside down.... you know no picture showing, just the shape to guide you!
Like her mother and grandmother before her, Melissa was bitten by the "dance bug." When she was 3, she would get up early on Saturday morning, put on an oversized cowboy hat and her patent leather tap shoes, and clog around the kitchen. As she grew older, she performed in various church and school events, eventually even becoming involved in choreography. Now you must understand, for a child with arthritis, dancing hurt her joints and created a great amount of fatigue. But dancing was in her heart and soul.....so she danced. Like her grandfather, Melissa snapped up the shutterbug gene. I remember one night, she turned her room into a photo studio (you know black sheet on the wall for background, etc...), and spent the entire night taking photos of a carefully selected vase of flowers. After developing and printing the film herself, she colorized some of her creations, while leaving the remainder black and white. For mother's day this year, she gave me two of her beautiful creations. I will cherish them always.
Music was another one of Melissa's great loves. I marveled at the diverse taste that ranged from Rap to Country to Hip Hop, and Classical. More on the applied side, Melissa began playing the violin at age 7. She soon added the viola and the french horn to her repertoire. Recently, she was learning to play the guitar. Keeping with the musical theme, Melissa had the voice of an angel and participated in numerous musical endeavors. My favorite memory of course was the solo she sang to me at church on Mother's Day.
Music, you must understand, was critical. It was more important than food, water, and air. We couldn't go anywhere without a stack of special CDs. The last week of her life, she made a "Mom and Me - Girls" CD. We sang at the top of our lungs from Kansas to Texas. "Cowboy Take Me Away" from the Dixie Chicks was our favorite duet.
But creativity did not stop with music. Melissa also had a flare for drama. Anyone surprised? She liked to act, but also got immersed in set design, lighting and sound. She did several professional "gigs" as the sound and lighting specialist. And this summer, she directed her first play.
Professionally, Melissa was brilliant and determined. She fell in love with court-room drama after taking several applied case-law courses. Her goal was to become a prosecutor. I have to admit that she was very good at arguing and could be quite persuasive. Right Stevie?
Melissa had one very cute idiosyncrasy that I loved to tease her about. She rarely wore matching socks. It all began in 5th grade when they had a spirit day. She wore one blue sock and one red sock - KU colors. But ever since that day, her socks haven't matched. Of course, I did wonder if her "teenage style" of laundry piling had any play in the situation. So for Christmas last year, I bought her 20 pairs of carefully picked out unique designer socks. I was so proud of myself to be solving the "sock dilemma." Melissa humored me for about a week, then went back to wearing mismatched socks.
Before Melissa turned 18, she informed me that she was going to do a "wild rebellious act" for her 18th birthday. Turned out, the act was getting her belly button pierced and even then she did it while I was out of town. I remember the picture she sent me via email of her new creation.
Melissa was the most intuitive person that I had ever met. She always knew when, how, why, and where someone was hurting. And by the same token, she could usually relieve their pain.
Melissa was a true over comer. Daily, she was challenged with JRA, fibromyalgia, migraines, asthma, and allergies. She never complained, she never gave up, she always kept faith and hope. After over 8 years of daily pain and suffering, Melissa obtained a full remission. In victoriously overcoming her many challenges, she grew confident, resilient, and passionate about her future. Melissa's love was so unconditional and encompassing that it filled every breath I took. Her sweet smile was a bright as sunshine, and always filled my heart with joy. She took care of me when I was sick, set me straight when I was wrong, and made everything better with her heart-warming hugs. Melissa's hugs could heal any wound. They were like hot cocoa on a snowy day or a comforting teddy bear and your snuggliest blanket. She truly blanketed me with her love.
In every situation, Lissa knew and understood my every thought and feeling, ...often before I had a chance to understand them myself. Our souls were fused together by the strongest bonds of love.
In fact, Melissa loved everyone. She knew no strangers. A stranger was simply a person that she had yet to come across in life's path. Her kind heart and gentle spirit drew many people to her. It was especially beautiful to watch her interact with small children and the elderly. She touched their hearts, participated in what was important to them, and gave of herself completely. Daily, she would do things to brighten someone's day or let them know that they were special to her. I was given the gift of spending 18 years with the most precious and loving soul that God ever created. In the words of a Mandy Moore Song; "It lasted forever, but was over too soon." You always think that you have tomorrow with your children. I can no longer hold Lissa in my arms, help her fix her hair for that special dance, go shopping for the perfect outfit, play a game of cards (which I would inevitably loose), go to a "chick flick," or share our favorite music. I know deep in my heart, that we are forever connected. I will forever cherish the precious gifts of love that she bestowed on me every day. The little notes of encouragement, the phone calls to say she loved me, the way she snuggled with me when she came home and told me about her day. She was always joyful, unconditionally loving, forgiving, and looked for the best in everyone. We breathed in unison, loved each other completely, and finished each other's thoughts without saying a word. She was my baby, my best friend, my soul mate. In short, she was my heart. She was every breath I took.
I know now that she is a beautiful angel, dancing painlessly in Heaven with God's love surrounding her. But I long to hold her in my arms once again.
Eighteen years ago, God placed a precious angel in my arms, to hold if but for a short time, but to love forever. Today, I place that precious angel back into God's warm embrace, where he will love and protect her, until we can be together again in Heaven.
Written by Sondra "Sammie Sue" Andersen - "MOME" to Lissabee
Comments to Lissa: Lissabee Sunshine, You are Forever my Angel. You taught me to love, live, and laugh. You taught me that love is pure and unconditional. I miss you so much. I love you! "MOME"
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