Sister Luck

My Sister (The Best Person I Know) and I

Today is the birthday of my older sister.  She was born 364 days before me (what were my parents thinking?!) so I effectively ruined her first birthday party.  Despite that and the myriad other sacrileges a typical younger brother inflicts on his older sister over the course of a childhood, I think she still likes me (maybe not after seeing all these pictures but I digress).  She’s incredibly smart, a gentle soul, and one of the toughest people you’ll ever meet – a truly fascinating combination.

She survived a horrific car accident as a college freshman that nearly killed her and caused her to miss most of that year and yet she went to graduate on time (like I said tough!).  She is not the most vocal person in any crowd and will sit back and allow other people to underestimate just how intelligent she is. 

She absolutely adored my kids from the moment she met them.  We were lucky enough to live in the same town when the kids were very young and often had to go looking for them in the nearby Tia’s house.  When found they were usually covered in cookie dough or cake mix as they destroyed my sister’s kitchen with their latest cooking experiments.  Both of my now adult children still talk about the “adventures” with her as she would take them on long hikes through the New Hampshire woods whenever we came home, usually accompanied by a very vocal dog named Katie.

Animals, what can I say, my sister cannot resist having animals around her.  By current accounting, she has two cats, a dog, a very large turtle, and some sort of predatory lizard in residence.   She’s totally incapable of disciplining them in any form (like I said – gentle) and the animals sense this in her.  It is truly a case of pure love.

That love extends to her family where she’s created a home that exudes the sense of family and welcome.  She found her soul mate and they’ve been married for over thirty years and I’m eternally grateful for her finding the brother I never had growing up. They named their adopted son after me and I marvel at the lengths she’s gone to provide him with a home filled with love.  I often think how blessed he was that she was there waiting for him.

I don’t let a lot of people get very close to me but the closest, by far, is my big sister.  We were forged in the same fire in the challenges of our upbringing and I know she’s the more tempered steel.  I love her and she deserves the best birthday ever.

Note:  She has absolutely no sense of direction.  Whatsoever.  Everyone has to have at least one flaw.

Sitting Between My Sister and "Brother" at Their Wedding
Second Most Fun I've Had at Wedding

My Big Sis

Always There For Me

High School - Piercing Intelligence

Cute Toddler

Six Years Old

Holding My Daughter at Christmas

1990's

 

Visiting us in Hawaii - 1993

With My Kids Returning from One of Thier Adventures

They Could Tire Her Out But She Never Complained

With Her Cherished Son and Our Mother

Doing Headstands with My Daughter Because She Asked Her To

With Katie Pup - Faithful (and Loud) Fellow Adventurer

Visiting Us in Kansas

Yet Another Adventure

Chillin in Mom's pool

They Even Climbed Mountains Together

Admiring Polar Bear's Table Manners

Can Be a Bit of a Goof

In The Big Hair Era

Love You Sis!