I have never met you....but I feel so close to you

My Father is one of 13 children. He has 8 sisters and 5 brothers including him.
His sister Sherrie Leigh died of breast cancer when I was five years old. I have only met her once and that was when I was a baby. I never got to speak to her, hold her hand or call her auntie. But she loved me from the moment she learned I was coming to this earth. She made a baby blanket for me with cross stitch and the saying Now I lay me down to sleep, may the angles protect me until I wake.
She died in the spring of 1986, 6 months after my life saving surgery. As many of you know I believe in spirits, god and things unseen. Part of me has always known that she died so I could live. I have always felt connected to her and know that she is with me watching over me.
Its funny but my life has mirrored hers in some ways. She met and married a man with a daughter. I met and married a man with a Son. She managed restaurants with her husband, I managed a restaurant when I was in high school. she always dreamed of traveling but never did. I dreamed of travel and have done it.
Its funny my dads brothers and sisters when they see me say it is like seeing a ghost. I look exactly like her down to a T, curly hair in all ( she didn't like hers either). For the longest time I didn't think I looked like anyone in my family, until my dad showed me his sisters photo, wow I said she looks just like me. I have her nose, her cheeks, her hair and her eyes. My dad says I have her flat feet too. Maybe God took her in body but her soul remained on this earth with me.
All I have of her is a photo and a blanket, Every time I go down to Red Wing I place flowers on her grave and bring her photos of my family. I tell her about my travels, of a life well lived and love found. You may think its strange to talk to a stone, but that is what I do. Sherrie hears me, she makes sure my prayers get to god and that I am safe in this world.
To honor her if little bear is a girl I am going to name her Genevieve Sherrie, in honor of the auntie she will never meet, but will know loves her from heaven.
So I can honestly say that she is my angel always there for me watching and making sure I am on this earth.
If you don't believe, just understand that there is something out there we can't explain, that we are just markers in time, traveling through until this day ends.