Happy Anniversary Bill and Joan

I was sleeping when I heard a familiar voice in the living room.  I got excited because I knew it was my big brother Bill coming home from the army.

I told everyone in my sixth grade class about my brother coming home.  I was wearing a pretty necklace he had given me.  I felt terrible when it broke.

My memories of Bill were filled with him chasing me and teasing me.  He helped me with my animals, bandaging Harvey, the dog's leg and helping my cat have kittens.  He was always working on his car.  He let me ride in it once.

I don't remember how long Bill stayed with us after the army.  I do know that he went from there to Provo, Utah to attend BYU.

He sent us a letter telling us that he had found a girl that he wanted to marry.  After about a month, we got another letter saying that he had found another girl he wanted to marry.  This girl was beautiful and sophisticated.  She was 5'9".  He never told us what happened to the other girl he wanted to marry.  He seemed to think that he had found the perfect mate.

I came home from school one day and there they were.  Bill had his arms around Joan.  They were standing in the hall.  Being struck by her beauty, I ran straight to the phone to call my friend.  She answered the phone and I blurted, "She's pretty!"

From the moment I saw her, I idolized her.  She became my hero.  I wanted to be just like her.  As a teenager, I got to know her.  She was very easy to talk to and seemed interested.  By the time I grew up, she became like another sister except special because she was an in law.