Happy Birthday Sissy

I miss my little brother today. He is 6 almost 7 now. Here is the story of how we met...

Mitchell & Sissy

Every year for my birthday, I wished for a baby brother or sister. I wanted to be a big sister so badly! When my parents got divorced, I had kind of given up on my dream of one day being an aunt and beating up kids on the playground for him/her.

Then, my dad got remarried. sweet, another shot at this. But they had been together a while and kids didn't seem to be on their agenda. So, I silently gave up.

But I kept wishing the entire time for a sweet baby brother or sister. (I preferred a brother but at 14, I would take what I could get.)

With my birthday around Thanksgiving every year, I usually got presents from extended family while eating turkey. But when my dad handed me a card at Thanksgiving in 2003, just 3 days after my 14th birthday, my dreams came true!

The card was simple and had a typical Thanksgiving message provided by Hallmark. But it had a fuzzy black and white picture on glossy paper inside and it was signed, "Love, Dad, Barb, and your new brother or sister."

I just stared at it. It wasn't connecting. My brain was not gathering what was going on. Then it hit. A million tears ran down my face as I realized my dreams were coming true. The sonogram picture had 2 blobs. one was the head and one was the body. He looked like a short caterpillar or a peanut. Yes, a peanut. That is what I called "it". I also called my step-mom's bump "Jr." because they chose to not find out.

Fast forward to June 25, 2004.

7:54am

He's here! He's a BOY!

In a split second, and a week shy of 9 months, my dreams came true. A hearty 6 almost 7 pounds of proof that dreams come true and prayers are answered. His cleft chin and sweet eyes were lovable at 1st sight. Holding him was nothing short of holding a miracle and the tears that followed in the weeks were enough to fill a bucket!

It's my job to love him. It's in my job description to tolerate him and to protect him. But I like him. He makes me laugh. Mitchell is the 1st boy to ever really steal my heart.

At our wedding, (a day after his 6th b-day) he told me he loved me and that I was a good sister. He also told everyone he now had a brother. But, the sweetest thing was when I whispered "I love you" in his little ear, he said, "I know" with so much sweetness it would have killed Paula Dean.

I love you P-nut today and always. You are Sissy's special wish come true! We may not have grown up in the same house or fought over toys. We didn't fight for attention or wrestle in the front yard. But you are the best brother and a great friend.

Love, Lauren