My sister-in-law is a beautiful soul. We don’t deserve her. Really. No, seriously. We’ve told my brother that if they should ever decide to split up we want to keep her and he can go. She’s THAT good.

A West Virginia girl through and through, she loves her mountains and her family. I can honestly say that I can’t think of one thing that I don’t like about her. First and foremost, she’s good for my brother. She makes him happy, keeps him healthy, and is his equal in all things. Well, except for maybe his temper when he’s fixing something but that’s another story. She is highly intelligent and loves learning new things. Every time she takes up something new she’s good at it. And when someone says, “Emily is doing this now and she’s pretty good at it”, I say, “Of course she is.”

She can cook. She can bake. When I say she can cook, I mean some of the tastiest meals I’ve had have been from her kitchen. Although we hate to put the burden on her, we love holiday meals at their house because we know we’re in for something delicious if Emily is cooking. Her meals are legendary. In fact, she catered my wedding (the second one for those keeping track). She’s hosted numerous family gatherings where she’s fed the extended family. She creates delicious feasts, cakes, pies, soups… you name it and she’s probably made it from scratch. I couldn’t live with her or else I’d be grossly overweight. For years, she baked hundreds of cookies for the annual FOP Christmas party for underprivileged children. My brother was in charge of the party and Emily would make the cookies that the kids loved. After baking the cookies, everyone would gather at their house and she’d throw a decorating party where we all helped to decorate the cookies and put our own special touches on them. It was a great time, with lots of laughs and holiday cheer. The cookies were always wonderful and the children absolutely loved them.

She’s an outdoor girl. She likes camping, hiking, and kayaking. She enjoys nature and loves her home state. She can roll a kayak and navigate West Virginia’s waterways. She can fish and hunt, and she’s a good shot. They enjoy camping regularly and raise their daughter to love being outside as well. Speaking of which, she is a terrific mother to my niece. She is firm but loving. She teaches her by example how to be a strong, smart girl (and some day woman) and to focus on her education and speak her mind. My niece soaks it up, and I know that she is growing up to be an independent and caring young lady. My brother will argue that he’s the smart one since he got her to marry him. He may be right.

She has an education and runs a business. She is no-nonsense and determined. I often look to her for advice and example when I am faced with a dilemma at work. I trust and respect her advice. She is always willing to help and offer her opinion when asked. She also knows how to quietly observe when not asked. She may sometimes seem cool or aloof to those who don’t know her personally, but we know that her heart beats for her family and friends. She is a kind soul.

Over the last several years she has taken on the role of caring for my mother, Babcia. She keeps track of doctor visits and accompanies Babcia to them. She keeps up with her meds and tests and gets to know her doctors. She keeps a watchful eye on Babcia’s diet and general wellness. I know Babcia is in good hands when I am away. Babcia knows it too, even though she may be difficult from time to time. Emily knows when Babcia has had too much sugar, has skipped her meds, or doesn’t feel well. With Babcia being a headstrong woman herself, that’s a full time job. But my sister-in-law takes it on with grace and care. They’ve had bumps in their relationship over the years; Babcia is a worrier and when she is worried it sometimes comes out as frustration or anger. But Emily has learned this and they’ve come to have love and respect for each other. Babcia won’t always admit it, but she knows the rules are in place to protect her and her health. She may hide candy and occasionally have too much bread but she knows that when Emily says enough, it’s out of love.

I want to pay homage to this wonderful woman that my brother was lucky enough to meet. Our lives are so much better for having her in them. We are blessed beyond measure to know this West Virginia girl who is the epitome of what the people of West Virginia are all about. Strong, proud, determined, kind, and caring… we’re sorry for the crazy that came along with our family Em, but we’re so thankful you’re ours.