Happy Birthday Gerri

Chinese symbol for sisters




Gerri and I are sisters by chance - her father and my mother married when she was 6 and I was 3, so we are officially step-sisters but I have always introduced her as my sister. I have been told that I loved her from the beginning, spending as much time with her as I could. I would watch her out the window as she left for school and cry because I wanted to go with her. I have an actual memory of sitting next to her at her desk at school and coloring. I was told that I just left the house and walked the block to her school and found her classroom and peered in the window until the teacher let me in. Im not sure Gerri was as thrilled as I was but I know it was a big deal to me because I still remember sitting in her desk right next to her being quite happy with myself. I remember another time at the same school on a weekend there were some workers at the school removing a refrigerator and they had left it unattended on the school grounds and Gerri and I found it. We took turns climbing in and closing the door on each other. I have an actual memory of this too because it was scary because the next time I closed Gerri in the refrigerator got a good seal and I couldn't open the door. I panicked (so did Gerri) and I ended up getting help to open the door. Gerri ended up being claustrophobic from the whole event and as any sister would blames the younger sister for this life long ailment.
As we grew up and into our teen years I like to say that "we hated each other like real sisters". Borrowing clothes with out asking and just bugging each other in general but then we grew up to be adults and something happened - we became friends again. Really, more than friends. I feel so blessed that God put Gerri in my life and I truly believe that we are sisters through and through.
Happy Birthday Gerri, your the best and I love you like a sister who has become a best friend. I am forever grateful for our sisterhood and our friendship.
Your little sister,
Suzie