I have a sister!

I know that by posting my ode-to-the-birthday-girl 2 days before her birthday, I am actually going against my concept of celebrating the person's life on their birthday. BUT - I am not good at blogging on the weekends, so why not start said celebration early? Then I'll let it go into the weekend :)

Growing up, on Christmas I often asked Santa or my mom if I could have a little sister for Christmas. My brothers were a handful so that ruined my opportunity, though. Thanks a lot! So, I was stuck being the baby. The only girl. The spoiled one. Poor, poor me.

The thing is, though, I had a sister all along and just didn't realize it.

I love babies. I've always loved babies. I don't know a time in my life where I would have turned down the opportunity to spend an evening with babies for anything. So when my mom's best friend had babies and the adults came up with the brilliant plan to leave the new babies in my care I was ecstatic! (sometimes Brian and/or Brandon were there too) A night alone with babies - life couldn't get better than that.

Years passed and it still made every bit of sense to the parents if all of the kids were left together. I was a pretty responsible kid, despite how YOUNG I was (I can't imagine leaving William with someone as young as I was!) so the kids were in good care, and we always had a blast. My favorite time to babysit them was on New Years Eve. My parents were married on New Years Eve, and they liked to go out to celebrate (the holiday too I'm sure) so every year for a sequence of years my parents went out and I babysat. We ran outside at midnight banging pots and pans, had bobbing for apples contests, and other games that I'm sure weren't the most responsible but were loads of fun. Probably the most fun New Years Eve's I've ever had!

As the kids grew up, my babysitting services weren't needed as much. But once the kids were in junior high, I was asked to stay with them on weekends for certain occasions to cart them to and front school and activities. It was in these weekend visits when our relationships started to change and morph into what they are now. At some point on these weekends they went from being my mom's friend's kids to my friends. And since that time, that friendship has grown so deep and I've realized that there was much more there all along. Maizeanne and Robert are more like my siblings than anything else. I told MissJan a few weeks ago that I struggle with how to refer to her kids. Are they my mom's friend's kids? Are they my friend's kids? Are they my friends? Or are they my siblings? Because we rarely have family functions without them being there, and I can't imagine not being a part of the major points in their lives. They aren't blood, but they are more like my family than plenty of people I do share blood with.

Thanks to Maizeanne I found a love for (and learned all the songs to) Veggie Tales, Barney, and other kids cartoons that William will most likely grow to like. I learned to sing an invaluable song called Sleepy Baby (all rights belong to MissJan) and I can now lull William to sleep with the endless song when needed. And thanks to Maizeanne I have lots of fun memories of good times on the lake, in the pool, at Black Eyed Pea, getting pedicures, walking around Target, and a soon-to-come trip to the Melting Pot. I asked Maizeanne to read scriptures at my wedding because she is such a strong woman of Faith and I admire that in her so much. She is a wonderful person, a sweet friend, and I'm so glad to know that all those times I asked Santa for a sister he granted my request. Happy 21st birthday Maize - have a blast. Can't wait to see you come graduation weekend! :)