Happy Birthday, Jenny!

Today is my sister Jenny’s birthday, and I wish her the very best.

Jenny is a very special person. She started to teach me to read before I went to school. I remember sitting with her up in the treehouse my siblings and I build ourselves, poring over easy reader books as she explained.

I used to play with dolls with her in the back of our old ’63 Chevy Carryall while traveling to visit a friend outside of Cheyenne, Wyoming. I had so much fun, but even so, I made sure to downplay it, in case anyone thought I was getting too girly.

She was my protector in grade school. She watched out for me, perhaps more than I realize, because when she went on to Junior High, and I was the only one of my siblings left, I had a miserable time. More miserable than usual, that is – with all the other kids ganging up on me in the playground.

A lot of time has passed since then. Most of Jenny’s kids are grown up. Her daughter has a daughter. Jenny’s a grandma. I’m no longer her little brother; now I’m her little sister. And she’s still really special to me.

Happy birthday, Jenny!