That is how much peace my sister enjoyed before I came blazing into this world and set the family dynamic on it's head. She was not pleased with this new little sister for quite some while. We have old Super-8 footage of my first birthday. Me sitting on a blanket on the lawn surrounded by my new toys, happy and smiling. Suddenly at the edge of the frame, movement. In comes the girl who had turned five a mere few days earlier and had received the hula hoop as one of her gifts - it was deftly spinning round her little hips. She moved quickly into center frame until that hoop was a mere few inches from my baby bobble head all the while with the angelic smile on her face. I mean, what the hell was this loud baby stealing all the limelight for? Yes, the adults stopped that hoop in time - that time.

Then I got older and took on the battle myself. We pitted ourselves against one another for years and years - warfare. It took a long while (too long) but, then, our babies came - the light changed, our lives changed. She has become my near and dear confidante. A sister. A friend. A love. I could not live without her and her loving support. And especially without our raunchy, belly laughing humor.

Happy Birthday, dear Sister.

If this next year is filled with even half the love, joy and light that you bring me each day it will be one glorious year, my dear.
A glorious year indeed.