29th Birthday

        

Today is my very, very dear sister's 29th birthday.  Lindsey Marie turned 29 today!  29 years and 9 months ago I was 14, and my parents told me they were having another baby.  Actually I don't even remember them telling me.  I have no recollection at all.  I think I've blocked it out.  But I know they told me or maybe I figured it out as my mother was sitting further and further away at the dinner table.  In any event, I was not pleased;  I was mortified actually.  My parents had been 'caught' with their respective hands in one another's cookie jar.  How does this happen I pondered and pondered it out loud...that was not well received.  Seriously, I was in health class...did they need to come to class and be class mother and father?  What part of this vital information did THEY not get at 40 and 41 years of age??  It was a strange 9 months that now I barely remember.  My life continued on it seems.  I turned 15 three months before she was born.  I started my sophomore year of high school.  My crush on David continued.  Hanging out with my best buds...the band buddies...was the highlight of my days.


Then on November 7, 1982 Lindsey was born.  I spent the night at a girlfriend's house;  it was a Sunday evening.  I suppose that on that Monday my dad took me and my other sister, Kellie to the hospital to visit, but goodness I cannot remember.  But I do know this...I fell in love with this precious baby girl.

So, tonight 29 years later I am beyond thankful for this sweet sister of mine.  She is absolutely amazing...talented, beautiful, athletic, smart, funny, outgoing, loving and just a person I cannot imagine not having in my life.  She was living with me when I got pregnant with Tate.  Through those weeks when I was having all that bleeding she was here with me.  And though she had always been indifferent about children I hoped she would be a little more excited about my little one.  Well I so got what I wished for and more.

She has been the most amazing aunt to my precious boy.  And he adores her and she adores him.  I can see it when she talks about him, and when he talks about her.  He just lights up when he sees her car in our garage.  Though she moved out when he was 10 weeks old, she has been a constant in his life.  Thankfully she only lives about 2 miles away.  And I am beyond blessed to have her in my life.  She is truly all the village I need save my parents.  Lindsey truly came into her own once Tate came into her life, and she is his second fiercest protector.  I have no qualms that should anything ever happen to me that she would not be able to raise this little boy of OURS almost exactly as I would, honoring all that he and I are to one another.  

And she's just THERE for us.  She was with me in the hospital when he was born.  She was here when he came home from the hospital.  And though she was unable to get up in the middle of the night with me with him (I had plenty of amazing help from my mother with that!!), she would help keep the house clean, make sure food was around and that we were all sane.  She's celebrated every 'month' birthday with us and every other milestone with us.  She doesn't hesitate to pick him from daycare for me on those days I'm running late from work;  she always alters her plans without a bit of complaint or disdain.  And sometimes she just does it so she can spend time with him.   She babysits when I ask if she's available.  She comes over at least once a week, usually twice after work before she goes running and hangs out with us for a bit.  I'll take Tate upstairs to put him to bed while she's heading out the door to go home, but invariably I'll come back downstairs after he's asleep and his dishes will be put in the dishwasher, clothes and toys will be picked up.  She just knows.  She knows how tired I am and she just comes through.  It's those little things that she may not think I notice, but I do, I do.  And they're appreciated so much more than she knows.  

When Tate looks back over his life as his mother I know I'll be at the forefront of those memories as his parent, the one constant in his life.  But I also know that he'll see Aunt Lindsey in every single scene as well.  How lucky is he.




So, tonight I'm so very thankful for this late in life baby of my parents'.  She is Tate's other parent.  I trust noone with him like I trust her with him.  She's the little girl I always wanted to have to do girly things with.  She's the 'daughter' I wanted to lay in bed beside me and talk about boys and chick flicks.  That's why I was blessed with a little boy for a child.  I already had my girl.  I'm so very thankful that the dear Lord knew what He was doing.  And He did.  He did. 

Two peas in a pod they are!