My little baby sister is 22 today, and that requires me to pause and reflect for a moment. Not only do I have to marvel at the passing of time with my own little offspring, now I am forced to confront the passage of time with my youngest sister...
..who in my minds eye is mostly still two and living at home, with mom and dad.
But in reality, she's all grown up, and is as completely beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside. Who I love with a unique mixture of motherly love, and sibling love. Because when she was born, I was nearly 10 and certainly all grown up in my opinion. I've barely forgiven my mother for the fact that on the first Sunday we got to bring her to church, she let my sister Sarah walk around holding her, before she let me, because I was quite certain she belonged to me. I was quite certain that no ones heart loved her quite as much as I did. And I would have stayed home from school holding her all day long, if my mom would have let me.
But she has grown up. And now she is my little sister who will do anything for me. And be anywhere that I need her to be. She was the first one to sign up for the detour trip through Zion this summer. Just to help me with the kids, was her reasoning.
And who was likewise there for our second day at Disneyland last summer, just because she could be, and wanted to be.
I usually miss her birthdays. But we'll always remember her 8th birthday, when my parents surprised her by flying me and Sarah home from college so that we could be at her baptism. We had only been gone a month, but you only turn 8 once, and get baptized once, and we were all going to be there for her then.
Lucky for me, I have another version of her that walks around my house now. Ruby gets called Christine half of the time. There is something about her that reminds me so much of my little sister Christine. The blond unruly hair, her love of animals, and the melt-your-heart smile are only a few of the resemblances.
And you know what? I'm grateful. I love having a constant reminder of the little girl that I once was, and of the last little sister I ever got. 
We're all grown up indeed. Happy Birthday Christine. Make it special.
Love,
Annee
Sunday, August 30, 2009
She's getting so old, in a good way...
Posted by Annee at 8:10 AM
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4 comments:
And this is why I pray all the time that Grace gets a sister.
I love that last picture of sisterly love.
Too sweet!
Thank you so much, Annee, this post made me tear up a little. I actually remember my 8th birthday so well, being so sad that you guys had just left for school, then so surprised and happy that you had come back. Thanks again, the pictures were fun to see.
How very sweet! Made me almost cry, there were tears in my eyes. Your girls look just like you when you were little Annee! And you with long hair...I could have never pictured that! I like your short hair :)
I wonder what Shara is talking about... cuz actually those "baby" pictures are of Christine and me (which you do say look like your girls) and I don't see any of you with long hair. Come to think of it, I don't think you've EVER had long hair. Is that right?
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