happy birthday seesta!

today is my sister's birthday. 

i am the baby of the family, so that makes my sister older than me...about 7 years to be exact. since there were so many years between all of us, we did not share the same experiences my children share, being little stair steps. my oldest brother is 16 years older than me, then another brother in between. we grew up in our own little worlds.

i have few memories of being a child...i do remember the large swan blow up toys we had for the pool in tustin, i was about 2 i think...i remember the house nestled in the orange grove in redlands, and the aroma the blossoms would produce in the springtime. i remember the day sam, our samoyed was hit by a car and killed on lugonia ave. my sister was there. we were there together. not a good day. it was a sunday.  

i remember the numerous lake powell and lake mead trips we took as a family. i was always one of the little kids. she was one of the cool teenagers. 

i remember looking up to my sister as i grew up. she was/is beautiful. i remember her long, silky blonde hair and beautiful fair skin. i remember when we went to guatemala to pick up my brother from his mission, the natives would stare at her and want to touch her hair, like she was some sort of goddess or something. she hated anyone touching her hair...especially strange guatemalan men. that actually was creepy. 

she married an amazing guy, and went on to raise 3 darling, intelligent and beautiful children. i remember spending time with her little family when i was at byu and she lived in draper. i felt as if i had a home there. she took care of me and made sure i felt loved when i was an awkward young adult, going through awkward young adult "stuff". 

she came to help me move when my life was in turmoil and i had a newborn baby, when i could barely function, let alone relocate. she rescued me willingly and without complaint. when i later unpacked all of the dishes and breakables she had carefully wrapped, they were perfect. swaddled and boxed with incredible care and order. 

she is a great organizer and multi-tasker. she is a doer, as my dad would say. she gets things done. and done well. she keeps an impeccable and beautifully decorated home. need to follow her lead there... 

i remember the example she was to me when she was having a particularly bad, or i should say terrible, disastrous day. every mother's worst nightmare... and how she was forgiving and calm, pensive and poised, graceful and serene. i will never forget this day. it is seared in my mind. her example has helped me brave trials in my own life and given me hope to continue on even when life is very difficult. 

words cannot describe my sister. i could write pages and pages of all the wonderful things she does, and all of the wonderful characteristics she possesses. she is a loving mother and grandmother, beautiful wife and friend. happy birthday, my sister. have a wonderful day. i love you with all my heart.

(my package to you is on it's way...)