Happy Birthday Maureen

When I got the call early on February 8, 1967, that my baby sister was born, I immediately called my doctor to see if I could travel to Cottonwood to greet her.  My own baby was due in just 4 weeks so I needed reassurance that it would be ok for me to be in the car for over 3 hours each way.  We probably listened to this song on the way down the Lewiston hill because it was the #1 hit at the time.  Maybe I wondered what she looked like and what it would be like to have a sister and never live under the same roof.  When I saw her face I knew it wasn't just a fairy tale - I became a believer!

I probably wondered more about how my own mother would manage to be a new mom and grandma in the same month.  But those who knew Bertha knew she did it with grace!  Maureen was born on Ash Wednesday and Duane arrived on Holy Saturday!  Mom and Dad came for Easter and Mom and Maureen stayed with us for a whole week, getting up every night with both babies.

There were lots of pictures of aunt and nephew over the years.

But soon Maureen became her own person, Miss Purse-y, Miss Clean Freak, Miss Organization!

We had some great opportunities to travel together when I was single again and she was not yet married.  We spent time with Allan in San Francisco and attended the Phantom of the Opera.  She said to me after the performance, "that was great music, but I can't imagine listening to it again."  The very next day, while shopping, she remarked that the music was playing on the store intercom and we both bought the tape (before CD's).  Below pictures of my favorite trip, the birthday cruise with her 28-year old friends!

She's always loved purple and we couldn't resist the T-shirts!

She still wears purple, but her days are no longer filled with margaritas, pampering, and cruises to the Caribbean.  Instead she spends most days doing laundry, fixing meals, and reading to the kids!  It proves that love is not a fairy tale!