Happy Birthday, Big Sister

Today is my big sister's birthday (she has 18 months on me).

She's been by my side since the day I was born.

In fact, she brought me home from the hospital, so she claims (I don't actually recall the event).  But while the older siblings had been farmed out to various aunts' homes while our mother was confined to hospital for my arrival, she stayed home with our father.  So she of course went with him to bring "her baby" home.

And "her baby" I've been ever since.

That's me (the baby) with my big sister and our mother on my first birthday (we think).

We grew up very tight, never straying far from each other's side.

Obviously, life's circumstances took us in different directions but the telephone was always there.

When our children were young, we lived within walking distance of each other so the cousins grew up very closely, until their lives took them in different directions.

My best friend sister and I now live very separate lives, but our affection for each other has not changed.

Each time we speak (which isn't nearly often enough), it's like we've never left each other's side.

"Sisters by chance; friends by choice"

Happy birthday, my best friend sister.  (PS, only one more year to OAS!)