Elise Rachelle Moslander.

A year and a half ago Elise moved to Denver.  I don’t think her parents, my brother Joe and his wife, Robin, of Aberdeen, were as excited as we were because she’d been in Hawaii with YWAM for over 2 years.  But we were very happy to have her near.

Elise smiles…these photos swiped from her Facebook…

And Elise has been a joy to have (“ketchup” with her here).  She roomed with a childhood friend and about 17 other college girls most of the time and has been crashing at Stef  and Wrex’s for the summer, but she infused herself into the life of our family from the start.  We’d never lived near Elise, only seeing her at family reunions and occasional visits and the veeeeeeeeeery rare photo her parents might send, but it was as if, when she arrived, we’d always been together.

YWAM.

Elise is taking a leadership position, once again, at the YWAM base in Hawaii until the end of the year and then moving back to Aberdeen to help develop her local church mission focus (where her daddy is the pastor).  She is leaving us and Colorado will be a little poorer for her absence.  Colorado will be losing a truly genuine, loving and sweet young woman with an easy laugh, a room-lighting smile and a helpful spirit.  We will lose a girl who loves God and is devoted to family.  Little children all over the metro area will miss her (she has nanny-ed for several families during her time here and her 2nd cousins, my grandbabies, all find her quite delightful).

Engaging.

“Engaging” is the perfect one-word description of Elise.  If you have ever had a conversation with her, you know that she speaks very pronouncedly with a slight lift/lilt to the end of all sentences.  Every story, every word, every sentence becomes, yet stopping just before, a possible question or response-requirer.  Brother Joe told me at reunion that she learned when she was four to be able to talk for 47 straight minutes in a way that simply made it impossible for the hearer to disengage.  He said it had become a lifelong art for Elise – the ability to keep you in because you might be called upon to answer…but then again, you might not.  So, she has this beautiful set of pearly whites and the full, shapely Moslander lips and she is simply fascinating to listen to and to watch.  And every word she says is all the more interesting because it comes from her.

Elise with the orphans of Honduras

I will miss you, Elise.  I will miss your enthusiasm about life and your commitment to family.  I will miss your loving ways and involvement in our lives.  I will miss your cool sense of fashion and your heart for missions and travel.  I will miss having the treasure of my brother Joe’s heart here close to me.  I will miss your love for my grandchildren and the happy dances you do with them at family gatherings.  I will miss your Holy-Spirit-given Gift of Faith and your childlike belief that everything will work out (and hasn’t God proven Himself to you time and again!?).  Never give up that kind of trust in the Lord, Elise – it will serve you well.

I don’t think Aberdeen is big enough to contain you, because you have sufficient personality to fill so much more, but that is probably why God has called you to the world and given you such love for people.  And today, knowing you are leaving and knowing our sun is losing some brightness, I just thank God for the time He allowed you to be here blessing our lives and infusing our family with joy and delight.  We will cherish it always.  We will treasure the memories and never forget you were sent as a gift for this time.

I am so proud I can say you are my niece.  You are a beautiful girl, both inside and out.  I am so proud for the choices you are making in your life.  I am so pleased to see you follow the call of God on your life.  You are loved and you will be so very much missed!  Be blessed when you go out and when you come in.  Be blessed in the country and in the city.  May your enemies be defeated and may everything you put your hand to prosper and be blessed!

I love you, girl, and I miss you already…Aunt Jeanie

NOTE TO SELF:  Learn to smile with total abandon like Elise does.  Can that be learned or will it require surgery?