Ode to Janelle

September 21st is my sister Janelle's 28th birthday - a grand opportunity to tell my big sister what she means to me . . .

Dear Janelle -

What you mean to me . . .

Pop can, shopping bag, and monkey collections
Weird methods of laundry folding
Immaculately clean car
Fat, round handwriting
Big blue glasses (which I copied - good ol' 80's!)
Nasty old blankie
Odd habit of sleeping with volleyball
Spiral perm and "teased" bangs (which I also emulated - again, good ol' 80's)
Hideous long brown leather coat (which I so envied)
UNO games, played alone
Dutch Blitz games, ending in a feud ("Take it off! Take it off!")

But, lest you think that this is all you mean to me, let me put your mind to rest. I have always said that you and I are so much alike, that we either REALLY love each other, or have the potential to REALLY not. Growing up, I always thought of us as being so different: You have blonde hair, I have brown. You had long hair, I had short (or I had short and you had long). You were skinny and beautiful, I was not skinny and looked 30 when I was 14 years old. You are disciplined, I am not. But as we matured and really formed a friendship, I found that there were moments when we think EXACTLY alike. There is not a shadow of a doubt that we are flesh and blood. There is no other possible explanation for some of the strange similarities in our thought processes.

Since moving away from Minneapolis, I realize what an incredible blessing the Lord gave me by letting us live in the same neighborhood for 2 years. Though much of that time was spent chasing around Marco and Antonio, I loved every minute of it. And, I will forever be thankful for the way you submitted to the Lord's direction in your life in bringing Marco and Antonio into all of our lives. In the midst of incredible challenges and difficulties, you received much opposition when you should have received nothing but support. And you helped our family learn to be sensitive to God's leading - even when it takes us out of the "normal" path. Because of you and your love and obedience to Christ, two precious boys have a family that loves them so much. And a family is blessed by two amazing, loveable sweetie pies.

Nothing made me happier to know that God had answered prayers and brought an amazing man into your life. Though sometimes you two are too mushy for the public's best interest, I love seeing you so in love with Jason. And you two look so beautiful together, you're destined to produce amazing, blonde beauties for kids!

So, Happy Birthday Janelle Mamie Uranium Patz (JUMP) Johnson. You are loved.

Katie