Dear Barry,I remember when you were born. Well, I remember mom after she came home from the hospital. I don't much remember you until you were about six months old and I fed you a Popsicle at our annual 4th of July Party.
On the occasion of your birthday I forgive you for the following things:
1. Your cushy college experience. How come Mom and Dad didn't pay for me to spend four years in Santa Barbara?!
2. The perfect weather on your wedding day. As you'll recall, it poured rain on mine, forcing an outdoor event into a wine cellar.
3. The fights we had over sharing the car once you turned 16. I get it now. I returned home from college for the summers and messed with your routine.
4. You breaking your leg, thus delaying our planned trip to Disneyland. I've been at least a dozen times now and would be happy to never go again.
5. Your daughter cracking her head open right before we got into the car to return her from an overnight stay here. I was never so scared in my whole life. Blond hair shows blood a lot more than brown does.
6. Marrying a girl who can snowboard faster than I can ski. What's up with that?!
7. Being in a place without cell phone coverage when our twins were born. Granted, they were born over a holiday weekend ...
8. Reading my diary while we were on The Deadliest Catch voyage from Alaska to Washington. What else were you going to do? One can only watch so many cleaving glaciers and killer whales.
9. Not coming with us to Spain last summer. We missed you but really, the food sucked.
In all seriousness, though, you are such a mensch and I am so proud of how I raised you. You gave me an amazing sister-in-law who shares my adoration for shoes and ice cream. You had two beautiful, fun daughte
rs for me to spoil. And trust me, no child ever died from eating Krispy Kremes for dinner. You are generous with your time and resources. You mix a good drink and grill a good steak.You are 14 or 15 in the first picture. It was taken on Lake Washington, I believe, during the summer of 1987 on the aforementioned Deadliest Catch trip. The second picture is one of my favorites. You're with your 15-month-old on the couch at about 8am in the villa we rented in Siena, Italy. You've been up with her a long time. You're a good father and a good husband because you dealt with my perfect niece while my Ice Cream SIL got some shuteye in preparation for the marathon shopping trip we dragged her on that day.
Although it's your birthday I'm feeling like the one who got the gift. And after all, it's all about me since this is my blog.
Many happy returns, Barry! Love you!
Leslie
3 comments:
Seriously hysterical post. You are truly the best sister ever!
Here from Paige... So glad I came!! That was an awesome birthday post! I'm copying it.
I read this before and I've been thinking about it for a couple of days. I wish I could do it with all of my siblings. There needs to be a lot more forgiveness in my fam.
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