Today is my sister’s birthday.  She should be here for us to gather around with birthday cake and balloons in hand as we burst into song singing, “Happy Birthday To You …”

But alas, she is celebrating with Jesus again this year, just as she has for the past 13 years.

This time of year is hard for so many, my family included, because while we should be happy and full of cheer, there is a very important member of our family that is missing.

Growing up, my sister and I were NOT the best of friends.  We fought like all siblings do, and we were at odds with each other more times than I care to remember.  It was even worse in the teenage years for some reason.  But, something miraculous happened when we grew into adults.  A friendship formed between us unlike any I’ve ever known before … or since.

We would have lunch together almost every work day.  She would call me up and ask, “Little or big?” and instantly I knew she was referring to whether we wanted to have a little lunch which would consist of fast food or a big sit down type of a lunch.

When we weren’t having lunch during the work week, we were at each other’s houses on the weekends hanging out together.  Or, we went shopping!

She teased me unmercifully in our childhood, and while we had become the best of friends as adults, the teasing continued.  The only difference now is that this time it was playful kidding instead of children just being mean to each other as they tend to do.  She often teased me about my “hooker red lipstick.”  She wasn’t a makeup type person at all.  She preferred to go all natural.  Me, on the other hand, I have liked makeup from a very early age.  And so, she teased me every time she would see me smear it on or show up for lunch with it freshly applied.  Yep, me and my hooker red lipstick!

I miss her teasing me.  I miss her calling me names and sticking her foot just inside my door to aggravate me in my childhood.  I would yell, “Get out of my room!” and she would stick her toe just outside the door into the hallway with the biggest grin on her face as she announced, “I’m not IN your room.”  Then she would proceed to take her toe and put it just inside my room and then quickly remove it while chanting, “I’m in … I’m out … I’m in … I’m out …” tormenting me to no end!

Yes.  I miss that.

I miss her not letting me play with her favorite Barbie doll.  I even miss her not letting me borrow her camera even though she was not using it, and it sat idle.

Why do I miss these things?

Because … they are childhood memories connected to my sister, and I don’t want to lose a single one of those memories.

I miss her and wish that I could have just one more day with her.

I’ll leave you with the words of a Diamond Rio song that is close to my heart.  Once you read through or listen to it with the lyrics on Youtube, you’ll understand why.