This post's for you

On this day, exactly twenty nine years ago, something pretty great happened. Something I had been anticipating for six long years as an only girl living in a house with two (ewwww) brothers. Don't get me wrong, brothers are fantastic for your "beat up the bully down the street", play "the crayon game", build huge snowmen, play with matchbox cars kinds of occasions. But, what every girl wants at one time or another is a sister. It's true. What I wanted, what I LONGED for, what I needed, was someone to share secrets with, stay up late watching movies with, share a deep and abiding love for chocolate with, be best friends with. There will always be a special, tender spot in my heart for my little sis.

As we grew up together there were many things about her that were typical of a little sister and of the youngest child. She was babied. It's true. (I know you're reading this Bean, and you can't deny it.) She was attention seeking. She was loud. She was dramatic. But there were also so many more things that were extraordinary and wonderful. She was funny, carefree, adventurous, oh so smart, and dramatic. I know, I mentioned that twice. What can I say? That quality can be a plus and a minus at times. She was fabulously dramatic when we would play our "crazy killer pizza delivery boy" game, and annoyingly dramatic when she learned she could cry on demand and get me in all kinds of trouble.

Time has passed. Lots of it. We are both mothers now and it is so incredible to see her as a mom. There are even more extraordinary and wonderful things about her that I've only recently discovered...I never even knew about until now. She is great at being a mom. She is crafty, creative, innovative, patient (who knew?), a good cook (waaaay better than I), musical, a good teacher, fabulous with all little people, a super fantastic writer, and I could go on. I also marvel at how she lovingly cares for my little one as one of her own while I am working.

Anyway, I guess what I'm saying is that even though she is my little sis, I look up to her. She inspires me. I love that she's mine. And always will be. Happy birthday Bean.