Lil Sister

Today is my youngest sister's birthday. How fitting! She was born on the first day of school -- and my father being the eager beaver school principal that he was, couldn't miss it. I remember my mom at the breakfast table telling him that she thought it "would be a while" before the baby came, although labour had already started.

It wasn't too long before Mom was on the way to the hospital courtesy of the military police (we were living on a Canadian air force base).

My sister's arrival was not without pomp and circumstance ... and a broken tailbone (Mom's) - but for me it meant yet another sister to take care of and to share my secrets with - not to mention a bedroom. She did all the fittings for my first wedding dress - all of them. The first time I tried my dress on was the night before the big day. She ended up wearing that same dress (albeit a little shorter) to her high school grad a few months later. When it came time for college she followed me to my city and lived in our second bedroom. When we bought our first house, she moved into the basement apartment. And when I moved out of the city to a town not too far away, she and her little family moved into our neighbourhood.

So I guess when I say that we have always been close -- it's true -- in so many ways. So - as I have said often, the best gift our parents gave us - was one another. On this day, my little sister's birthday, I feel blessed and am reminded of the many precious treasures in my life.