That Kat

I feel old...

Aged, along in years, ancient, broken down, debilitated, decrepit, elderly, enfeebled, exhausted, experienced, fossil, geriatric, getting on, gray, gray-haired, grizzled, impaired, inactive, infirm, mature, matured, not young, olden, oldish, over the hill, past one's prime, seasoned, senile, senior, skilled, superannuated, tired, venerable, versed, veteran... Ok, maybe that's a slight exaggeration. But, truly there is nothing like my baby sister turning 14 to make me feel every day of my 27 years. I think it's because I remember vividly the day my mother told Dee and I that we were to be big sisters (again). I remember her birth. I remember holding her for the first time. I remember being so pleased she was a girl. I remember happily taking her everywhere with me. I remember shopping for her, planning her birthday parties and letting her sneak in to sleep with me almost every night until I left home. I remember getting married and leaving home. I remember she cried and wouldn't let go of me as we tried to leave in our honeymoon get-away car. I remember crying too. I remember being shocked at how much she grew every time I came home again, being so proud of her as her musical talents progressed, and knocked flat again and again as her birthdays came each year... I remember so much about her life and I know her so well that the passing of time seems to blur in my mind and catch me by surprise every time it comes into sharp focus again on her birthday. How I love that girl. *** So let me tell you a bit about her. In a way she is two girls...

Sensible Kate is a sweetheart,

She is girly,

Favors pink,

Loves to shop,

Adores clothes,

Plays cello and piano with ease and classical beauty,

Scrapbooks and crafts with us,

Talks to her BFF as much as possible.

Sensible Kate happily dresses up and goes on a Daddy/daughter + Papa/Granddaughter date for Valentine's Day.

She is her mother's joy and her daddy's baby girl.

She is the perfect sister to us two older girls.

And we love to have her around.

Then there is the other Katie...

She is funny,

Plays electric keyboard, bouncing new and popular songs off the walls,

knows all the words of their favorite tunes,

draws hilarious cartoons,

is opinionated,

has a sassy comeback to their every remark,

Plays PS3 and almost beats them every time

That Katie is an edgy photographer,

she takes 100s of photos and leaves cool edited pics on my computer to surprise me later.

They are quite the crew,

Katie and those boys.

They include her without reserve.

She is the perfect sister to be crunched between 3 brothers.

They love to have her around.

***

So all in all...

Our Katie is talented, creative, adaptable, fun to be with, a wonderful sister....  

And so maybe she is just one girl after all...

A good one.

That Kat.

Happy Birthday, Katie!

We love you and hope your year being fourteen is just as great as you are!

Love,

R