Happy Birthday to my Sister Michelle

Today is my sister Michelle's birthday!  I initially logged on to Gather to search for a recipe for Death by Chocolate Cake.  I am surprising her with a cake for her birthday.  She will both love it and hate it too.  We are both doing the Curves things and have been doing well since we got over the Thanksgiving pig out.

Before I search for the recipe I would like to say a few words about my favorite sister.  I was eleven when Michelle was born.  I had always wanted a sister to play with and share my toys with.  My brothers were tired of being forced to play with their older sister.  Many times my tea sets were broken, or the hair would mysteriously come up missing from my favorite doll, and their faces were colored a pretty blue ink. 

Now that I had a sister, I realized that it would be at least a few more years before she would be ready to play, and I couldn't see myself playing with dolls when she was ready.  So, being the good sister that I was, I helped out with Michelle's care. 

As we both grew older I found myself loving to be her teacher.  We spent hours reading, writing, and yes, playing with dolls.  I dearly loved my little sister. 

The teen years were a challenge.  Teen years always are a challenge.  I found myself being the disciplining her over things that my mother was becoming frustrated with.  Michelle, I know didn't like the fact that I was sticking my nose in, but I also knew that she appreciated knowing that I cared enough to speak my mind.

After she graduated from high school, she moved to Connecticut.  I miss this little rebel so much.  She lived with my brother and his family.  She then met Pete, and they moved in together.  When she became pregnant for her first child I was estatic.  Everytime we spoke I told her that I wished she lived closer.  I so wanted to share this wonderful time with her.  But, sadly, I had to experience it from a distance.

She came up for a visit one weekend at the request of our mother.  Pete had to be let in on the secret too.  I had planned a baby shower for her.  My friend Bertha let us have it at her apartment, which was right across the yard from my apartment.  Early in the day we decorated and set up the chairs and tables.  I had baked the caked and decorated it early that morning, ang brought it over to Bert's.  About an hour before Michelle was to arrive at my house, Bert calls me up to ask how to spell congratulations.  I spelled out the word for her, she laughed and told me that I had congrations on the cake!  Thankfully I always save the frosting when I decorate cakes!  She ran the cake over to me so I could repair the damage.  We laughed about it again and she took the cake back to her apartment.

Michelle arrived right on time.  I was thankful that Bert found the error before she came and was now counting my blessings.  Michelle and I sat and had a cup of tea together.  She asked where the kids were.  Knowing full well that the kids would spill the beans if they were in the house when Michelle was there, I made sure that they were over to Bert's house waiting for us.  The back doorbell rang and Michelle, being closest to the door got up to answer it.  There stood my twin boys with their eyes twinkling with excitement.  Aunt Michelle, Aunt Michelle, guess what?  All your stuff is at Burp's (they couldn't say Bert).  I scooted them out the door and said that they needed to stay out and play or they would have to come in for a nap. 

Michelle was puzzled, but didn't think anything about it.  A few minutes later I told her that Bert had got a new living room set and asked her to go with me to see it.  Thankfully Bert had rounded up the kids and got them inside her place.  Yep, Michelle was surprised!  I pulled it off.  We had a blast.

On June 5th I got a call from Michelle, she was in labor.  I wanted to drive to Connecticut to be with her, but she told me not to come.  She would be okay.  I paced the floor, cleaned the house from top to bottom and waited for the phone to ring.   A few hours later I received the call, Nicholas had arrived.  He had a full head of hair and the nurses were calling him little Elvis.  This kid had at least 2 inches of hair!

They did eventually move up to Vermont.  Nicholas was a little over a year old.  I had my sister back.  We grew closer with each passing year.

 When her second son, Christopher was born.  She opted again to go through the childbirth alone.  Again I waited, paced and worried.  Christopher entered the world with a full head of hair too!  I loved this little bundle.  I spent more time at their house than at my own.  Many years later, Michelle and Christopher were looking at the family photo album.  He asked if I lived with them.  Michelle was puzzled at the question and asked him why he would he thought I lived with them?  He said, it was because I was in so many of the pictures.   

It is funny how sisters can start out as being family and as time goes on, they become best friends.  I think the world of my sister.  She has been there to offer words of wisdom, even teaching me a thing or two.  I love her dearly.  Happy Birthday to my sister, and many more.