Happy Birthday Amy!

I hope it's a great one. My sister Amy celebrates today along with my niece, Shannen, who is turning 4. :)

Amy has had a brilliant year. It all started with last year's proposal. So much more on the horizon for her this year and I can't wait to cheer her on.

My sister Amy is the most brilliant and beautiful person I know. Today I am celebrating her and all the things that make her so special to me. How about 38 reasons why? Here goes:

1. She's my older sister and who doesn't adore their older siblings?

2. I have many memories that I keep from my childhood and file under her name. Like the one about how we used to listen to the Top 40 countdown every Sunday morning and write down the top 10 as Casey Kasem announced them one by one. We'd try to guess which one would stay in the top spot, or would our newest favorite knock out the previous week's and claim the title? It was rare that we'd root for the same one. Maybe "Time After Time" by Cyndi Lauper.

3. She knits things for my daughters and recently for me. :)

4. She is a very loving Aunt to my girls.

5. She and I have the same laugh. The kind that bursts out when something is really hilarious and is followed by a crazy round of giggles. Contagious, really.

6. She always seems to pick out the perfect gifts. She's deeply sentimental with many and thoughtful with all. Like, the set of bowls that we remember making cakes with as kids and fighting over the batter on the sides that we would scoop onto our fingers and lick clean.

7. She is a wonderfully creative writer. Her poems are soulful that require thoughtfulness and reflection to appreciate.

8. She is so gorgeous, especially with joy around her. (Thanks Mark!)

9. She loves ice cream - the creamier the better.

10. She cooks lovely dishes that I have to open a cookbook to find even the mere mention of. Yep, she totally rocks an apron and a stove.

11. She bakes the best shortbread. Mmmm.

12. She inspires me to be a sincere person and to truly be honest with what I embrace in life.

13. She is very resourceful. Seriously, who just moves across the country like 5 times just because they want to make a fresh start?

14. Amy says what she wants to me because she knows I will forgive her. Like the time she made a crack about my ratted up hair in the late 80's before she even said hello when I went to visit her in college.

15. She used to let me hang out with her and her friends when she was at college. Is that love or what?

16. Amy has the most porcelain skin tone. I'm starting to look older than she does and that's totally unfair. I'll work on forgiving her for that...

17. She introduced me to bands like the Violent Femmes before anyone my age could even comprehend music outside of Duran Duran, Van Halen, and Huey Lewis and the News.

18. The countless hours of playing Clue, Sorry, and Life.

19. She pretends not to be hurt when I don't call first or if it's been a bit. Still working on getting better with that.

20. She tried scrapbooking for the first time ever and I think I may have slightly influenced that decision. ;)

21. She makes and keeps her friends for life. She has an amazing way of allowing people to trust her.

22. She's like M&Ms. Colorful shell with a totally irresistable inside that no one can help but love. And she's fun to bring to the movies. ;)

23. Amy never does anything half-way. She puts her all into anything she decides to write as part of her story.

24. She's the only person alive that understands experiencing both my Mother and my Father.

25. Amy totally gets being silly.

26. She taught me how to be ok with appreciating the differences in others' opinions. (Just picture Frankie Goes to Hollywood and Michael Jackson posters hanging in the same room. That was us!)

27. Whenever I hear the terms 'Motivated' and 'Successful', I think of my sister.

28. I swear I'm smarter just from being around her. I was learning her vocabulary while helping her study. Who learns the meaning of voracious in the fifth grade? I did! And, we must have been to the library a hundred times over as kids. Too bad I can't have my library cards and laminate them. I'm sure Amy would win some kind of Bacon Memorial Library award.

29. I can honestly say I have been to see many, many Orchestra concerts play. I'll leave out the other stuff I may want to add to that. ;)

30. All the miles between California and Michigan got nothin' on us.

31. She has a sarcastic sense of humor. Gotta love that!

32. We may not be alike in a lot of ways but if we both were to paint a picture of what we want from our lives - our hearts would draw the same rainbow in our skies. We both are strong, vulnerable, determined and meaningful women. I truly believe it's because we've had each other for part of the way.

33. Amy is a great teacher. I don't have to be in her class to know, I have been a student all my life. I could list at least 38 things I've learned from her, but that's another blog entry...

34. Amy is like Audrey Hepburn with classic and timeless beauty, style and grace.

35. I am also reminded of how much my sister means to me with watching my own two daughters. They fight, make up, experience the same situations, and bring their own unique personalities to each other. Having a sister is something to treasure.

36. Now that we are adults, we get to continue to celebrate our experiences even if they happen to the youngest first. Who says the oldest gets to do all the milestones before her sister? I think it's a good way to stir things up and keep things exciting. :)

37. I hope to always appreciate the new things I learn about my sister as well as the stuff that I keep in that childhood file cabinet in my head.

38. I love you, Amy!