16...how convenient!

My baby sister is 16 years old today! She really is a unique individual - you can read about it here.

Leona has told me before that she feels like she learns a lot about herself whenever she hangs out with me. The reason is that I remember things about her childhood that she doesn't. For example, she had to hear about the naming of Luke the cat story from me. To be fair, that's a minor thing - I doubt any of my other sisters remember that either. But what I couldn't believe was that she didn't even know this one:

One summer the Morris girls (mom and four daughters) were picking strawberries in Dunnville. Oh, I think Alicia's boyfriend was there and maybe a couple of other friends (Becky or Rachel Peters?), too. Anyway, Leona couldn't have been more than 4 years old and was just learning how to spell things. - She was always a very smart child. - She was also learning big words and wanting to use them.

I can remember as clear as day her bending over and picking a flower from the strawberry plant (likely a blossom, but I'm not sure) and shouting, "A flower! How convenient! C-O-N...pause as she thinks...venient!" It was so cute to see her try to spell a word that clearly didn't fit the context!

Perhaps you had to be there or hear it in person, but for months and dare I say, even years, after, we would spell out the word convenient...at least to the N.

It couldn't have been easy growing up as the youngest of 4 girls, but Leona managed it. She is now the only one living with our parents, holding down the fort, and soon to be off to bigger and better things...if that were possible.

I hope you have a fabulous birthday, baby sister!