As I glance at the clock, it shows 1:06am. In a few hours my middle sister will wake up and be 50 years old. As I sit here wondering where the time went I try to remember my earliest memories of her. What comes to mind first is how she always protected me. Whether it was protecting me from neighborhood bullies down the street, helping me through heartbreaks, job changes, or child rearing. My sister has been right beside me the whole time. Listening and encouraging me. Pushing me to be a better person. Whether I wanted to or not.
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| There she is, right in the middle. |
When we were young I liked to sit on the couch and poke at her and try to irritate her, as any younger sibling can admit to enjoying. I loved the attention, whether good or bad, it was fun to mess with her. Just to get a rise, because I could. She would rarely fight back, so this would fuel my urge to go pick on my even older sister.
She and I shared an upstairs bedroom together and every year the upper stairway landing doubled as a Christmas gift wrapping area. Mom had a huge box of gift wrap and every few days in December my sister and I would take the empty cardboard tubes from the gift wrap and hide them under our beds. After a few weeks of Mom wrapping presents, we had several cardboard tubes stashed. We would assemble the tubes, one inside the other, making it into one long tube. Long enough to reach each other's bed. I headed to bed early to prepare for the impending jousting in the dark. I would wait for my sister to turn off the light and get situated in bed, unaware that I was ready to strike. After a few minutes passed I would reach out in the darkness and tap at her. It was so exciting when she realized what it was. She would reach under her bed and retaliate. We would joust and swing the tubes, laughing and playing. But usually before too long Mom would turn the stairway light on and yell at us to go to sleep. We would then start swinging feverishly, harder and harder, until one or both of our tubes fell apart. We would laugh and laugh and then go to sleep. She always let me win.
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| Proof she was a beautiful baby! |
When our Dad was working evening shifts I got away with total chaos at the dinner table. It would start out as a normal dinner, except Dad was at work. Most often Mom would serve us something very different than our usual meals. She would surprise us with pizza, tacos, or for a very rare and special treat we would have McDonald's for dinner. Usually about half way into our dinner someone would make a humorous comment and we would all start joking around and laughing. But leave it to me, I was the one who would take it to the next level by being silly and obnoxious. Soon both sisters and I were giggling and carrying on. Mom would warn us to stop laughing, and try and settle us all down. She would warn us that we were going to choke on our food. Sometimes she would try and get real stern, but that just made me laugh even harder. Mom would threaten to excuse me from the table so I would hurry and finish my food so I would be done if she followed through on her threat and 86'd me from the dinner table. I remember several times getting kicked out of the kitchen and sent to my room, to "go and think about it". As I headed up the stairs to my bedroom, I would only go two or three steps up and silently peer around the doorway to make faces at my sisters. From where Mom sat she couldn't see me lurking and provoking my sisters into more laughter. Before too long, I would have both sisters laughing and tattling on me. Inevitably Mom would have finished her dinner and would join in laughing at the silly nonsense of it all. Ahhh....good times, good laughs indeed.
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| I always looked up to my sister! |
My sister was always good at sharing. In high school, my sister let me wear some of her cool shirts and sweaters. When she would spot me in the hallway wearing one of her unauthorized sweaters, she would never stay mad for very long. My sister was always very generous. When she got her first job she would treat me to chocolate milk and zingers, sunflower seeds and candy. She was a very cool older sister. She had a very laid back and calm demeanor. She was nice to everybody and if something irritated her, she would just focus on something else. I was always trying to hang out with her, but being the annoying little sister that I was, I just plain must have irritated her. She would sit on her bed, across from mine and play solitaire cards with herself. She would try and ignore me as I pestered her and intruded into her alone time. Behind her bed was a sign that read, "Kiss Off". To this day I am convinced that sign was directed solely at me.
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| Nick and Eddie |
When my sister had a baby, I would jog over to her house and wait impatiently for my new nephew to wake up from his afternoon nap. Sometimes I would purposely talk loudly in hopes of waking him up. I was always so excited to see him that I would beg to let me wake him up so we could play.
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| My new nephew Jason |
I would quietly open his bedroom door, peering in while he slept. As I slowly opened the door and crept near his crib, I would make little birdie noises to wake him up. He would open his tired little eyes and always had this huge curled up smile on his darling little face. I remember him pulling himself up in the crib and hanging onto the side rail and jumping up and down, up and down, wanting me to pick him up. And then we would play.
It's been almost 30 years that she's been married to the love of her life. They married young and against the odds, they raised a beautiful son and built a wonderful life together. They adore and respect each other immensely. It seems like they grow deeper in love with every passing year
My sister spent a lot of time doing special and thoughtful things for my kids. When my kids were small, she would take the whole day off work and drive down to spend the entire day with us, celebrating their birthday. Together with my two sons, we would count the days until Auntie's arrival. She would come bearing gifts, balloons, and a home made birthday cake. She would even bring a gift for the "non birthday boy". She was so thoughtful and generous. She always got the short end of the stick when it came to all the August birthdays, and celebrating her birthday so close to Christmas, that she would get combination Birthday/Christmas presents. But she never complained.
My sister is strong and smart, creative and funny. She can laugh at herself and always keeps her wits about her. No matter how much we tease her, she never gets mad. She's one of those people who you can guess what she's thinking, just by observing her. She's made me laugh until my face hurts, and then some more. She lights up a room and makes everything more fun. She does it all with the greatest of ease.
She has a lot of love, to give and is fair and genuine. She spends a lot of time thinking of and doing things for others. She is so kind and gentle and she is someone who I can count on always, to be there for me through the good and bad times. She has the hugest heart and is passionate about working hard and playing hard. I am so fortunate to share my childhood and adulthood with her. Every year we get closer and I realize just how lucky I am to have her in my life.
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| Here's to another 50 years sis! |
My Dear Sister
As you gracefully glide past your fifth decade,
I wish you much love, good health.
Continued happiness, joy and peace.
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Happy 50th Birthday!
Love, your baby sister |
