What? My baby sister, the little teeny thing I held on the way home from the hospital? Is 40? Oh my!
Yes, my sister is 40 and fabulous and wonderful and amazing and…and…and… Where do I start? Let’s see…in 1975 my mom was pregnant with someone who would turn out to be the best friend I could ever hope for. I always tease her and tell her she’s here because of me. People used to ask what I wanted, a brother or a sister, I wanted a sister, so here she is! You’re welcome!
I hated it when my mom was in the hospital, I just wanted my mommy back, but I knew when she came back things would be different and awesome. June 9, 1975, my mom had my sister and the day we brought her home from the hospital, I got to hold her, in the back seat of the green beetle bug, see my love for beetles is not a new thing!
Ok, so maybe my memories are skewed and I didn’t get to hold her the entire way home on my lap, but that’s what my 3.5 year old brain remembers and that’s how it’s going to stay! We brought this bundle home and I was so excited! I was mommy’s little helper, I wanted to be just like her! There is a picture of me, somewhere, showing my mom nursing my sister and I nursed my baby doll, just like mommy.
She was sooo cute! She had the tiniest little nose, just two little holes in the middle of her face, so cute. That was the only thing that was tiny on her, she was a wonderfully fat baby! Three knees, elbows, chins, gorgeous! As you can see, well, those of you who know her, but trust me, she grew out of that. She grew into this amazing and beautiful young woman before you.
And what an accomplished woman she is. All throughout her life, my sister, GES has excelled at everything she has set her mind to. She was part of a Japanese exchange program in middle school, in college, she studied in England, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. She graduated college with honors, I’m so glad that she wasn’t the older sister, what a standard to live up to!
We were best friends growing up, sometimes we were the only ones to play with. Now, don’t get me wrong, it was not all sunshine and roses, oh no! We had our moments, and many of them included screaming and yelling, two very different things, as you know, fighting, tattling. When we were younger, she had a mouth on her, I didn’t know some of the words she used, so instead of yelling back, I just sat on her, what else does a big sister do?
And then, as we grew even older, yes, we are older than dirt at the moment, especially according to her kids, my nieces, we started to mature, imagine that! And then all of a sudden, one visit, we realized that we went days without a fight, even an entire week. That was unheard of! Does that mean we were growing up?
Were we silly? You bet your sweet bippie we were silly! Did I know how to make her laugh? Absolutely! Sometimes it was with a story or a joke, but sometimes, and I am loathe to admit this, but my nieces want to hear it…with a burp or a fart! Hey, who are you to judge what we thought was funny! And admittedly, some of those things still make us laugh.
When we were growing up, there were things we had that were just the way things are. If she needed a gift wrapped, I did it, sometimes, she would send me the gift and I’d wrap it! I typed her papers until she could type, we shared a love of decorating for our parent’s birthdays at the summer house, getting the Carvel cakes and surprising mommy and daddy. Just like all little sisters, she liked to shop in my closet, doesn’t always work the other way around when your sister is smaller than you! But I can definitely borrow jewelry and that’s just fine with me.
Throughout the years we have laughed, cried, yelled at each other and together and cried together. We have supported each other through some good times and some bad times, let’s face it, there were some sh*t times in the past few years, for both of us, I don’t know what we would have done if we didn’t have each other.
I have watched this person, this pipsqueak, goofball, shadow of mine, grow into an amazing woman. I wasn’t kidding when I said she excels at everything she tries. She has become an amazing cook, a fabulous hostess, I’ve told you about the parties at her house, sometimes for a birthday, sometimes because it’s a Saturday. She has built a loving and welcoming home, everyone knows that they can knock on the door and have a place to sit. The kids across the street know they can come over and make a sandwich if they’re hungry.
She is fiercely loyal, loving, kind, silly, goofy, serious, a role model, someone you can look up to, that’s why she has so many friends that are steadfast, true and loyal to her, no, they are not all puppies, but some of them do have cold noses, but they are good friends.
She is the organizer, the planner, the go getter and ever since we were kids “what’s the evening activity”, hmmm…I wonder where EJS gets that from? Whatever it is, it’s going to be fun and probably educational somewhere along the way. That she got from our mom.
What a role model we had! My sister is such an amazing mom, she channels EMS, that would be our mom, in so many ways. She is an amazing mom, has a way with her kids that cannot be rivaled, only marveled at. She is kind, fair, understanding and firm when she needs to be. She can get down on their level when it’s warranted and rise above as well. She loves everyone else’s kids, she is affectionately known as Auntie G to all the wee tots, except for S&L R’s kids, she is Uncle G and ACS is Auntie A, I can’t wait for those titles to stick when they’re grown!
She is a an amazing wife and friend to my brother-in-law, ACS. They tease and rib each other, but they are steadfast and fierce and a unified front for their kids and there are moments you catch them sharing a tender moment when they think no one is looking. I love being down the hall and hearing them laugh hysterically at something, maybe a joke or a movie they are watching, but whatever it is, it’s great to hear. They support each other and know how lucky they are to have each other. What great role models we had for relationships, in love and dancing around the kitchen together after 30 plus years together.
She is such a fantastic daughter, just ask my dad! I know they love having the chance to talk on the phone, they are both so busy, those times are precious. The things we talk about and worry about and want to do for dad, he is always taken into consideration and included in everything. She has given him the best title anyone could have, Poppa and I think he loves it! He gave us the guidance and influence to know how to play and be silly with kids, an appreciation for opera and ballet and classical music, all of that you can see in my sister.
Have you gotten the idea that she is an amazing sister? Without hesitation, when things ended with DCM, she and ACS opened their home to me and my cats and welcomed me into the folds of their family unit, to have access to my nieces and be a part of the day to day lives. She helped me when I needed to buy work clothes, not having a clue what to get and those are fun times, we get to be silly and have one on one time, which does not happen very often, but it is treasured.
I have been here, in Boston, for my sister’s birthday many, many times, whenever I could get here, because it is so important that I see and hug my sister on her birthday and this year was no different and even more special. We have so very much to celebrate, in so many ways and this year…since I am working in Boston, I got to surprise her yet again, by just showing up after work at the front door, just in time to help put the girls to bed and just be able to hug and kiss her and wish her a happy birthday in person.
I welcomed her into the world in 1975, with hugs and kisses and smiles. Tonight, 40 years later, I got to hug and kiss and smile with my sister, hug her in person and wish her a very happy birthday.
So, in conclusion….my sister, GES, is fabulous and awesome and funny and sweet and wonderful and I know I will think of more that I want to tell you after I end this. Think this might be a bit much for a toast at her big birthday bash?
Happy 40th Birthday GES, my baby sister, I LOVE YOU!!!
Peaches Prattlings 