Happy Birthday Maryanne!!!

Dear God , Could you please see that Maryanne gets this message. Thank you!

Maryann,

I've never met you, you died before I was born. But none the less you are my sister. I've never even seen a picture of you... I know you had red hair, I know you had Spina Bifida with Hydrocephalus. And I know that you never came home. you went from Indiana hospital on your birthday to Children's hospital where you died 3 months later. Mom got pregnant with me at about the time you died... I wonder if we met in passing.... you going home to God, and me coming down to take your place with the Hockenberry family. No life on this earth is without purpose, and sometimes I am amazed that even a short life as yours can impact a family. I remember Mom telling me about you and how hard it was for her. She had 4 little boys at home, and back then ,Hospitals didn't allow moms and dads to just hang around day and night. You got pneumonia, but they didn't want you to go home either with your other problems. So it is there at the hospital where your entire life began and ended. Mom and Dad never forgot, Our brothers didn't talk about it much, But it was always known that we had a sister and her name was Maryanne. If you would have survived you would be 42 today, and I will be 41 next month. or maybe i wouldn't even be here... they decided to try for me only after dealing with the pain of losing you. thru the years I've often wondered how you turned out, how your personality is, how you look. Well Mom and Dad are both "hanging" in Heaven with you now..... so when you see them again..... tell them i said Hi!!!
After all these years I always remember your Birth date, and I secretly wish that you were around... maybe God allows you to peak in on Us every now and then. I love you the sister whom I never met.

Your Lil' Sis