HAPPY BIRTHDAY NIN! LOVE YOU LOTS!

I stole this picture from our cousin Joby and Anna's album and am still trying to figure out what happened here. This is my ever-loving-40-year-old-but-definitely-more-like-25-in-energy-and-zeal sister Nina, who must have been about 7 or 8 years old then, who looks like she grabbed 3 or 4-year old me by the neck to join this picture. (Kinda reminds me of many Erica and Cy moments.....but no, I was no Cy. Cy is a bundle of energy and shares many amazing thoughts and stories....while I was the neglected bunso...the youngest among 4 kids who were born 1 year after another and at 3, was immediately followed by another one and then another one....by the time, our parents got to me, their energy was all consumed and my only "consuelo" was that I kept quiet and soothed myself by sucking on my thumb. And thus, Nina and a few others called me "mute".)

Nina, I am no longer mute. I was finally able to regurgitate my tongue out after your unintentional attempt to gag me here. Ooops, it's your 4oth birthday and this blog is for you.....I should be nice pala.

And so, Nina, in all honesty, YOU ARE SUCH AN INSPIRATION to me! From the day you gave birth to Erica (I was there! The nurse at the delivery room asked me to stand in for her while she called the doctor. And in that exact moment, as I stood in front of the exit canal, Erica's head crowned!) and then to Cy, you have shown and taught me so much about the great joys and ways of motherhood.

When it was my turn to bring Martina into this world, you were there with me (in fact, you, Doug and Erica were there with me--a 6-month old baby watching her cousin being born!). You really took care of the fat pre-eclamptic woman sleeping in your couch and I want to thank you for that.

THANK YOU for these special moments! And there are many more....including this one on the picture....I'm sure we had fun whatever it was that was happening there.

I want to wish you a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY and I know you've already started painting more than 1 town red. Love you lots, Nin!

Always,
Connie

P.S. Hugs and kisses are packaged into this post from me, Mark and Martina