Sixty years ago today, I hit the Sister Jackpot!

Sixty years ago today, my sister was born. For a while, we didn't know what to make of each other.

Apparently, we spent a lot of time posing for pictures with my mother!


And with my dad, too.

I think we had a pretty typical older sister-younger sister childhood, a mix of harmony and
discord and sometimes just plain disinterest. A few years after I left home for college, Marce spent a year in Sweden as an exchange student. We never lived at home together again.

But as we grew older, we found that life events, like graduations, brought us together.

Like Marce's graduation from Penn State (Phi Beta Kappa!) in 1980;


And Marce's daughter-in-law, Ericka's PhD from Pitt.



There were times when we didn't live near each other; and a few years when we weren't even on the same continent! But we managed to spend time together even then.

Dave and I visited Marce when she lived in West Berlin in the early '80s.
The Brandenburg Gate was off limits in the Western Sector of the city.



Gradually, our family grew with the addition of Marce's son, Drew, and my daughter, Emily, and then Marce's marriage to Jack, and Drew's marriage to Ericka.



So we did things together as a family.

like a trip to Kennywood Amusement Park.


Now that our children are grown, we have more adult time....

for visiting museums (I'm behind the camera..........)


running--well, walking REALLY fast--a 5K with Emily and Ericka....


cooking together (even decorating Drew's and Ericka's wedding cake......)



enjoying espresso at La Prima in Pittsburgh.................



and sharing dessert at the Freelance Cafe in Piermont, NY........






But no matter where we are, together or apart, I know I can count on my sister for solace when I am sad, for honest (and tactful ;->) critiques of my cooking and baking and quilting, for a hug when I need one, for the word I've lost when I'm trying to tell one of my endless stories (and the patience to listen to them with all the digressions,) for wise counsel on almost anything, for great jewelry (notice our necklaces she made,) for reminders of our shared histories, for laughter and witty banter whenever we are together (or Skyping or talking on the phone or even texting.)

So Happy Birthday, Marce! I hope we are able to celebrate many more of life's occasions together. When you were born, I truly did hit the Sister Jackpot!