With compassion, courage and clarity, Christine Grote shows the reader what life with a disabled sibling looks and feels like. What I thought was a slow start in the beginning- a series of details about daily life- turned out to serve a purpose. It gave me a strong sense of the importance of routine in maintaining order in lives disrupted by a disabled family member. It all fell into place as the story moved along as I developed a deeper appreciation for how this family adapted. We meet Christina’s younger sister, Annie who was diagnosed within her first year of life with a “cerebral defect” which rendered her profoundly disabled. She never outgrew her infantile needs although she lived to the age of fifty-one. Annie was treated with respect and love as her family looked beyond her disability and treated her as a valued member of the family. The one thing Annie could do was smile. Christine weaves in how Annie’s smile was a source of great joy for her family. We come to know and love Annie as her family does and, therefore, feel her loss when she dies. The author does a masterful job of showing not only the love but also the impact of this disability on all family members, particularly her mother and father. Her own powerful reflections deepen the layers and bring the reader closer to the experience. What is so striking is how this family adapted to Annie’s limitations. They simply surrounded her with genuine love and worked their lives around her without reservation or regret. The depth of love that comes through Christine’s writing is truly heartwarming. It is a lovely tribute to a beloved sister and a powerful reminder of the value of all human life. Christine’s vision of Annie dancing in Heaven is beautiful. I am left with the sense that we all have a purpose in our life. Annie’s purpose was to touch people’s hearts with her smile and her family preserved and nurtured that purpose throughout her entire life. Beautiful story!