Sisters-in-love, x2

It seems only fair that since it is my sister-in-law Lynn’s birthday, I wish her a bloggy happy birthday as well. I really have lucked out in who my brothers ended up marrying, especially helpful since it seems like they were always in our family – this happens when your brothers are significantly older than you. Lynn and Marty got married when I was in middle school and I got to be in the wedding – my first of many turns as a bridesmaid (also the most wonky I have ever looked as a bridesmaid as I got the worst sunburn of my life the day before the wedding so I was sporting lobster-red skin with fever blisters on my lips – my hotness was unparalleled) but prior to the wedding, Lynn had been in our lives a whole lot longer. In fact, I only recall one other girlfriend that Marty had and the only things I remember about her was that her name was Robina (still the only person I’ve ever met with this name), she had a ginormous Great Dane and she gave me a 6-foot snake stuffed animal that smelled interesting so I’m glad Lynn came along to set Marty straight because Robina wasn’t my favorite.

Lynn has told the story of when she met Marty and how he had a picture of me in his wallet and it took quite a bit of convincing on his part to get her to believe that I wasn’t actually his child. Because what 22-year-old has a 4-year-old sister?

There we all are, so much younger… I think I can confidently say we’ve improved with age. While searching for pictures of the two of us, I happened upon a series of photos from a trip we took to Colorado when I was in high school. I love that in both photos I’m completely smitten with my nephew, Mitch, and Lynn’s hair is crazily blowing about. [Note: Lynn, we need to have some photos taken together the next time we see each other. Second note: You, too, Joan, I have none of the three of us together and very few with you and I… apparently we are always taking pictures of others.]

The first time I met Lynn we played Monopoly, which was a long-standing tradition for our vacations with Marty. We played Monopoly, we listened to music, we ate out at fun restaurants and we toured around Houston and Galveston – Lynn was the perfect addition to those plans. We have created our own tradition of staying up late and gabbing away about everything in life – no matter how much we have already said and how much time passes between when we do see each other, we never run out of things to say or have an awkward moment where we don’t know what to say.

(And look how cute and wee she is… I’m pretty sure I was also bending me knees in that photo.) She was the first person I told that I loved Simon and that he might be the one (which he totally was). We share a love of gift-giving, always finding it easy to find things for each other because we share the same taste – a love of good food and cooking, coffee and smoothies – a dream of owning a coffee shop – a love of reading (she fed my Stephen King obsession for quite a long time) – an extreme interest in shopping for jewelry, home accessories and snack food. All the good things. I would argue, some of the best things. Just like Lynn… the true definition of good people and the best things in life.

Happy birthday Lynn… don’t worry, I won’t call you by your given name ;)… I hope you have a marvelous day and get up here soon to celebrate!