I'm Rapidly Approaching Thirty, But Guess Who's Older Than Me?

Today, my older sister becomes even older. For a few short days, she will be 31, while I am still in my twenties. Gosh, it feels good to say that!

Natalie has been in my life from the beginning. I have many reasons to love her and be grateful for her. However, in keeping with tradition, I will list 31 of them, one for each of her 31 years. In random order.

1. I love that Natalie was tricked into believing that seat belts were mandatory on ten-speed bicycles, because that knowledge made me feel a little bit less of an idiot when I was conned into believing that Stevie Wonder wasn't really blind. Of course, she was eleven when she was duped and I was twenty-six, but still.

2. Natalie has the most luscious lips of anyone I've ever seen in real life. She rivals Angelina Jolie, and I love watching her drink from a soda can. Her lower lip goes nearly halfway down the can and I stare in bitter jealousy. My lips are thin as a g-string, but nowhere near as sexy.

3. Natalie let me drive her Ford Probe to school when I was in high school. I. Was. The. Bomb.

4. We used to share a queen sized bed when we were little, and on nights when we couldn't sleep we would take turns drawing pictures on each others backs with our fingers until we fell asleep. Now I'm all grown up and I still wish that someone would scratch my back to sleep.

5. Aside from my husband, I think Natalie might be the person on this Earth who I feel most comfortable with. Likely because she's been with me, stuck with me, like it or not, for most of our lives. (Natalie! It's still a majority! We're really not that old!)

6. She never got OVERLY angry when I stole her clothes.

7. She puts up with this guy, for which I'm grateful, because I enjoy having brothers-in-law who I can harass without worrying about offending.



8. I can tell her anything, and she finds a way to make me feel like what I told her is a normal thing. Lemme tell ya, a lot of the time, I'm pretty sure it's not.

9. She helped me through a stormy time. More than once.

10. Just yesterday she sent me a basket full of See's suckers because weeks ago I told her how much I was craving one and she remembered!

11. Sometimes she kept me out of trouble by being a good example of what NOT to do. Like lie to your parents really, really badly! :)

12. She traveled a really long way to be at my high school graduation and my wedding. That's probably something that most sisters do, but that doesn't make it less appreciated.

13. Natalie has always been beautiful on the outside, but she also shows me how to be beautiful on the inside.

14. There were times when Natalie had friends that didn't like me so much. I can understand that because I must have been pretty annoying trying to tag along all the time. But even when her friends were less than welcoming to me, I never felt like Natalie didn't love me and want me around. Not once.

15. Natalie does a rockin' impression of Julia Child. There's video to prove it.

16. I don't know if she does it very often anymore, but when she sings, it sounds good.

17. She is a really good housekeeper. She might argue that, but if she does then I'd just have to say she must be a really good faker because I have never had twins and a full time job and at the same time a spotless house. She has.

18. We live too far away right now, but talking to her on the phone or sending e-mails back and forth always makes me smile. Even on the days that are complete crap.

19. She is an excellent listener. A skill I need to work on.

20. We ran cross country together in high school and I'm pretty sure she hated it as much as I did. (So why did we do it? Who the heck knows?) So one time we told our coach we had dentist appointments and couldn't be at practice. We didn't - we were just ditching. Co-conspirators are a good thing. (Did we only do that once, Natalie?)

21. She has a great imagination. Remember the house that was Japan, Natalie? I'd explain that to the rest of you - but it would sound crazy.

22. Natalie always has my back, no matter what. Every time we started a new school together she checked on me to make sure I had someone to play with at recess and someone to sit with at lunch. I needed that. Still do sometimes.

23. She never complained about taking the male role when we performed ice skating routines in the living room. She really was the more feminine one, too, so this was rather selfless of her.

24. Natalie gave me one of the biggest laughs of my entire life because it was not only funny at the time, but it is still funny every time I think about it. It probably deserves it's own post, but to spare her feelings, I'll just say that the screaming from the kids in the McDonald's PlayLand was the icing on the cake. Good times, Nan!

25. Natalie is humble. Despite the fact that she has reasons piled upon reasons to be boastful or proud, she is anything but.

26. Natalie has excellent taste in movies and books. Except for those Robert Jordan ones. I just can't bring myself to do it.

27. Speaking of movies, there is nothing more fun when you're young than making spoofs of classic films. Together, along with our sister, Kellie, and several of our cousins, we have starred in independent films such as Illinois Smith, (inspired by Indiana Jones), Insane, (loosely based on Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho), and A Christmas Carol, (based on the book of the same name by Charles Dickens). Natalie played the villain in several of our movies, and they are priceless.

28. Natalie is super smart. Like, way smarter than I'll ever be. Like, you know? Her report cards always beat mine, too.

29. We were inseparable from the time we were little girls, and I feel like no matter how many miles are between us, we will always be close. Even when we're old and can't hear each other talking. We'll know what the other is saying. Most likely because I'll still be muttering swear words and she'll be telling me that everything will be okay.

30. Natalie cares more about other people than she does about herself. I think that when people are around her, they can feel her goodness and it makes them better people.

31. And here's the biggest one. All my life, Natalie has gotten to do things before I have. She got to stay up until nine o'clock when my bedtime was still eight thirty. She got to drive and date before me. Lots and lots of things that I always wished I could do first or at least do with her. And then I got married and had kids before her. I had three kids before she had any. And from the moment she became a mother two and a half years ago, I wished that she had gone first. Because as I watch her raise her children, I know that there are things I could have done better all along. She's always been my example and paved the road for me and now I just have to keep telling myself that it's not too late to be like her as a mother, too.

Natalie, I'm so glad you're my sister, and I'm glad you came first so that you could teach me all the good things that you have within you. Happy Birthday!