The Silver Leaf Maple…

Some people just stick with you.

Deep in your heart.

Way down deep in your soul.

I guess most people associate people with stars or gemstones. But not me-I think of plants.

It was 1987.

My Dad married Patsy.

4 girls. 2 boys.

We were not the Brady Bunch.

We were a band of heathens.

Our show would have been better suited for modern day reality TV.

One bedroom with 2 bunkbeds and 4 girls.

Talk about some plotting and scheming.

I remember Tutt calling me outside.  If we climbed the silver leaf maple tree next to the carport we could sit on the roof.

So we did.

Our rooftop view was exciting, especially because we could stare directly next door into the Crocker boys bedroom.

Now just to be honest, the curtains were pulled together and left only a crack of an opening.  But that didn’t stop us from giggling when a light came on and staring at the shadows.

When we got caught, we have never lived down our Peeping Tom reputation.

We were friends.  We were sisters.  We were partners in crime.

Fast forward a few years later.

I was getting married for the second time and honestly most people are just not there to help you celebrate that.

In a small town, it is more like everyone is behind your back saying, “I knew that wasn’t gonna last…”

But not Tutt.

She would say it to your face.

She could cut you to the bone and make you laugh at yourself.  And then she would host your bachelorette party.

If you were her friend, you knew it.

And if you weren’t, well you should probably cross over to the other side of the road because you knew that too.

And if you were her family, well you were just plain blessed.

I will miss her wisecracks.

If you got too big for your britches, she could reel you in quickly.

I said today that if I robbed a bank she would have drove my getaway car. 

We all need that person in our life, the one who would either post your bail or go to jail beside you.

That was Tutt.

Six months after we lost my brother Johnny, I got a card in the mail from Candi.

The timing was perfect. When the crowd has dwindled away, your loss seems so very real. It was good to know that people understood.

I thought about saving this post for 6 months for that same reason.

But something just aches in my heart.

I guess it’s because part of it is now missing.

I am so thankful for my memories.

The funny thing is when I look back on my life to a time that I was going through something so painful, I realize that later in life you will look back and the pain will be replaced with gratitude.

Those special people that comfort you in those dark hours become more precious to you than gold.

Thank you Tutt for being one of those people.

My heart just aches for the George and  Deerman families.  You have always been so kind to my family and shared in the pain of our losses.

Ironically, while Tutt was fighting her final battle, we were having to take that tree down. It was now so huge that the large limbs were dropping on the roof and the roots were damaging the foundation.

There was a funny feeling in my stomach to watch it go. It was a symbol of youth, mischief and sisterhood.

In a world where we judge ourselves by a number of Facebook likes, we all really need a Tutt in our life to tell us that we are acting stupid. Or jealous. Or just plain lying.

But right now sweet girl, we are simply crying…

Rest in Peace Kristi Jo “Tutt” Deerman. We love you. We miss you. And we are forever grateful for you.