Sister Love is a Real Thing

Sister love. It’s a real thing.

Here in Central Texas we are quite blessed to have Dominican sisters around the corner. Like, really, right around the corner. Many moons ago, before I became Catholic, I had zero idea that they made sisters who were as young and cool as these. Indeed they do.

I think the thing that has drawn me to them most, besides those habits (!), is their pure and total joy for their vocations. That’s a love I want my girls to see, no matter the path they have for their lives. My girls are learning faith, modesty, love, joy, happiness, beauty and confidence from their example. And my boys? They’re learning the very best a woman has to offer – her love of Christ.

And, I’m not sure anyone has a better laugh than a Dominican Sister. Exhibit A.

The hardest part of this “Sisters in the ‘hood” gig is saying goodbye to them. Their vocation is a missionary one, which means they move from place to place every few years. I can’t tell you how hard it is to say goodbye to them. To be honest, I just don’t. We always part with “see you at the Tabernacle.” I hold them in my heart every time I go to Mass.

You see, before they so gracefully came into our lives, I’m not so sure my faith life was one to write home about. When our fifth son spent 44 days in the neonatal intensive care unit and had many subsequent hospital stays and surgeries, I came to count on their presence. Their prayers. Their hope.

They delivered. Obviously. Three Sisters, in particular, are leaving the Lone Star state behind and I would be lying if I told you my heart wasn’t feeling a twinge of sadness. Sr. Maria Fatima (left), Sr. Maria Guadalupe (right) and Sr. Elizabeth Ann (very top of the post) are off to spread their love in new places next year. Those are some mighty lucky people. (That sweet sister in the middle, Sr. Mary Elizabeth, left us last year!) I figure that if they changed our family that much, they’re sure to do the same in another community.

We have had real, deep and honest conversations with those women. The kind I would have with my college besties. I’ve learned to temper my tongue (well, sometimes!), increase my faith, steal LSU flags and blame it on someone else (shhhh), laugh harder, cry with more passion and fight for the things that matter because of them. What a gift, right?

Sisters. You gotta get yourself some of them.