1963

Today is my baby sister's 40th birthday! Wow! Happy Birthday, Denise! Welcome to the fabulous 40s...

Actually, i think i'll take this opportunity to tell others about you, DeDe.

OTHERS:    

Did you know... that my baby sister is SO beautiful that she was 1st runner-up in a MAJOR beauty pagaent? YUP, that's my baby sister. 

Did you know... that my baby sister is a fashion designer whose creations have been in multi-million $$$ productions including nationally televised events like the Miss America pagaent and Christmas specials? YUP, that's my baby sister.    

Did you know... that my baby sister is and has been a children's choir director and choreographer, infusing the love of Jesus AND the love of music into young hearts for years and years? YUP, that's my baby sister.

Did you know...that my baby sister has three extraordinary kids, each with their own amazing talents and abilities (and a not-too-tough-to-look-at hubby, as well!) ? YUP, that's my baby sister.

Did you know... that my baby sister has a very rare disorder called Behcets that, for some people causes a life of minor pain and inconvenience and for others - like Denise - brings strokes, arthritis, eye disease, and multiple ulcerations of the soft tissues? Yes, this also is my wonderfully brave, amazingly longsuffering, ever-effervescent baby sister.

When i called to say, "Happy Birthday!" this morning, Denise responded with "I made it!...I wasn't sure I would" meaning that none of us (the doctors included) were sure that she would live this long. But we are a praying family and Denise is the kind of person that you want to stick around for a long, long time...

SO,

Happy Birthday, my sweet, indomitably spirited, long-suffering, beautiful, talented, intelligent FORTY-YEAR-OLD baby sister!

I LOVE YOU!!!!! (oh, yeah...your present is...uh...in the mail...)