Chance made us sisters, hearts made us friends.

Deanna LaShaun Draper

Sunrise 8/11/1968 ~ Sunset 11/15/2012

Auntie extraordinaire.

A+ daughter.

Crafty scarf crochet-er

Follow-through-er

Embarrassingly loud cheer-er at nephew and niece sports.

Hardworking Delta.

Kick ass teacher.

Rock Star tutor.

Amazing sister.

Selfless friend.

The last words we spoke to each other were in my doorway after a dinner of spaghetti and meatballs yesterday evening:

"I love you, sissy."

"I love you, too."

Yes. My big sister has left us. Just twenty months my senior. This wasn't supposed to happen. 

It was unexpected. She wasn't sick. 

But she was wonderful and loved. By so many people.

It's weird. I'm so, so sad. Yet somehow, I feel so, so grateful, too. Because we were all close. And as a family? We were good. Real, real good. And we still are.

Damn, I'll miss her. I already do.

Damn, damn, damn.

If you are a pray-er, please pray for us. 

If you're not, just think of us, okay?

Especially my parents 

and especially the kids.  

Okay? Thanks.

xo, Kimberly

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:(

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Just wanted to add Poopdeck's comments from yesterday because I know y'all love him and my mama, too. I didn't want them to get missed. Thanks already for these thoughts and prayers. I feel them. I do. 'Preciate y'all.

xo, KM

From the sad sad deck of the poop,

The ole PoopDeck pappy is experiencing a pain that he has never felt before. This pain has gone deep into my chest and grabbed my heart and squeezed it nearly to the point of stopping it all together. Then it reached deep down into my soul and acted as if it would suffocate my soul. 

Twelve or so years ago a team of doctors cut into my chest, cracked my sternum and took my heart out to do some repairs. The pain the I suffered as I went through the mending and rehab process pales in comparison to this bad boy. On the pain scale, the heart thing was a nine. This bad boy is a 99. Each time I think that it's subsiding it comes back with a vengeance. I know it will finally get a little better because if it doesn't I won't be able to hang on. And I know that I won't live long enough for it to completely go away because it far, far too intense.  

What could cause the old PoopDeck to be in so much pain you might ask. Well, you see ... I lost my first born daughter today. Her given name was Deanna,but over the years she had more nicknames than one could imagine. I called her "Plinko" and she called me "Poppo." When she answered the phone or we saw each other, I would go "PLINKOOO" and she would reply "POPPOOO". I miss that so much already and it's only been a few hours.

Oops, there comes that pain again and it's worse than the last time. I gotta go cause I'm hurting too bad!!!!! 

Poopdeck