Her birthday was a few days ago -- I realized that when I began to "write" and post this, as I was thinking of her most of the day, on her birthday, that she was 12 hours AHEAD of me and it was already PAST her birthday. Great...Super..... epic fail...LOL...so posting it now--what is a few more days?
50 Shades of J....
1. We call her JJ among the family -- short for Jeanette Kae Peirick Miller. Her given nickname was "peanut" cause my mom says she looked small and sort of like a Spanish peanut in her arms. My kids call her Aunt JJ. Maybe Mom has a different reason -- this is what I remember.
2. She is my younger sister - if you don't know - I am the oldest. Of Nine. Yes...Nine.
 |
| This was "all of us" - missing 2 grands in the summer of 2015. |
3. We are 20 months apart and apparently when Mom and Dad brought her home, I was so jealous of this new baby that Mom had to ship my 20 month old self off to Grandma Peirick's for three whole weeks so Mom could adjust - or maybe I could adjust.
4. She has 5 brothers. Ranging in age from 30+ to 48!
5. She has 3 sisters - one being me.
6. We were raised on a dairy farm in Wisconsin and she never did anything wrong in the barn. I heard often from my dad at how "great" she did her job!
7. She was born and raised in Watertown, Wisconsin but moved to Florida after she graduated from UWW to help us at the insurance office.
8. I don't remember us ever trying to socialize in the same circles in High School, but I was busy working and in my own life and she had hers. We did carpool a lot and of course there was always the time in the 'barn'.
9. As kids we spent a lot of time in the barn or outside -- even on Sunday's we would get locked out of the house -- and our favorite was playing "pizza place" where we would create mud pies and add certain toppings. Daryl and Aaron always made good customers.
10. We also played "doctor" with the neighbor Jenny -- with kitchen utensils as her instruments.
11. We could also be found playing "house" where I was always the wife named Chris and she was the husband... and right now I can't remember the name she would pick.
12. What is really embarrassing is that I know we also played 'babies' and I remember practicing to breast feed with my doll -- and Jeanette was near by. Right now -- that just makes me CRINGE! Oh My.
13. Speaking of dolls -- she destroyed mine. Well...I had two legs on my doll and she ripped off one of them. It totally ruined my life. LOL. No it didn't -- but it certainly was something we fought or cried about. ....we laugh ...to this day!
14. Of the two or three years we attended UWW together, I think I saw her 3x and was in her dorm once. I know she had a roommate that loves the Milwaukee Brewers as JJ was always very interested in her sports teams.
15. She worked at the college as a senior and after she graduated and it was always fun going back to see her once we had moved to Florida. She managed the "Down Under".
16. She would watch football on Sundays with my dad -- or I think she did, I always wanted to watch Star Trek. Perhaps that is where her love of football came from --
17. She came to stay with me for the 3 weeks around Taylor's birth -- little did I know she was pregnant herself I always wanted to be pregnant with a sister and here I was. She even left my house and couldn't tell me -- as I was WAY too into myself and my life.... of which I apologized for!
18. I was able to be WITH her when Blake was born -- totally a GOD orchestrated event. My little "yoda" was born!
19. When Brendan went to insurance school for 6 weeks and Taylor was 11 weeks old, we packed up and moved in with her so that Bren could concentrate. We did not have FACETIME then but Taylor's eyes would light up each night as she spoke to her daddy. Many photos began between Blake and Taylor.
20. Countless phone calls than began between two sisters with young children. I went through post-par tum depression so MANY tears were shed.
21. She moved her in 1993 with her son - Blake and spent their very first night in Okeechobee in Raulerson Hospital -- as Blake had an upper respiratory thing. He was just 2!
22. She loves to clean -- well, maybe not that she loves it but her house is always spotless.
23. She is the ultimate hostess and enjoys having family around.
24. She has the COOL POOL for when family visits as I did not have guest room until the past few months!
25. Her freezer is completely stocked and the meals she makes -- super. The pies... the casseroles ....she is a cook!
26. She loves to walk and travel.
27. She is married to Craig and has 3 children. Blake, whom I have mentioned, is in heaven - and Cali and Jordyn are close and have blessed her with two grand babies and she loves them dearly.
28. She loves being an Auntie and dotes on many -- even 'adopting' the children of friends and loves on them!
 |
| Unsure who this pretty girl is, but she has my sister's heart. |
29. Traveling has become a hobby --and presently as I type she is 1/2 way around the world in Africa -- hence the photo!
30. She played softball and volleyball in high school and probably would of done another sport if she could of figured out transportation. She is VERY competitive.
31. Speaking of being competitive...we would CONSTANTLY compare each other's legs to see who was the most tan, or the most fit. Constantly.
32. We shared stuff -- but as we became teens - it could be a problem. She will tell the story that I am NOT very proud of that I went crazy when I learned she was wearing my underware -- and ended up needed Valium admistered at the ER.
33. Um...my we had a bit of a stress-filled life as teenagers....needless to say the Guidance Counselors knew us -- and our family. But... God is faithful!
34. As a kid, we had our ups and downs -- that would be putting it mildly. LOL. I have memories of ALWAYS having to include her in birthday parties and friend sleep overs and she tells another story. She tells a different version.
 |
| Our Aunt Gloria |
35. We fought a LOT. We did. Hair pulling -- pushing shoving fighting. And a lot of yelling. At times when we talk about it - I just get embarrassed -- it is what it is. I have apologized. BUT... when a crisis happened -- we rallied around each other and KNOW -- love is there!
36. She says Mom always seemed to make sure I got the best present at Christmas and she got gyped. I remember one Christmas where she counted the gifts and cried at the end of the night that I got one more and my Dad was fussing at my mom and we headed to Farm and Fleet the next day and she got another gift. My mom pleaded that I got an extra cause of all the babysitting I did - for "free". Dad didn't buy that. Now -- that is what I remember ... I am sure she has a different version.
37. However, there were good moments and times where we did get along. Especially as we got older and had common enemies! And she is a dear woman who LOVES the underdog and fights for what she believes is right and correct.
38. Being untruthful would kill her -- she has the Utmost integrity and when you know her - you love her and you know what she is about.
39. I complete admire how she can see the GOOD in many and her heart hurts when hypocrisy is present.
40. As a little girl, my parents had an old farmhouse. My Grandparents and family helped to finish the attic in that old house and a sleigh bed was added to the room for Jeanette and I. We would go to bed and I would be dog tired and I would hear, "Chelly, I can't fall asleep". Note -- there was a lot of whining involved and so I would just tell her to go to sleep. She couldn't. So I began to tell her stories using her hands as hand puppets. In my head, I did this for weeks... in her head, it was not every night but I felt it was. In reality, Blake enjoyed me telling the stories over and over.
41. This story reminds me of HOW kind my sister is - she always placed the needs of me before hers and would praise me publicly and loved me unconditionally. In fact, I had this one romper that I loved to wear. She realized and knew it was TOO Short for my legs and politely asked if she could buy it from me - as I was pregnant with my second kid and I was not wearing it. She never wore it. I found out years later -- she knew I did not look "good" in it and was just trying to make sure I never wore it again in public. That story may seem harsh -- but it was endearing....she always looks out for me.
42. As I remember, she seemed to ALWAYS do things perfectly and seemed to be Dad's favorite. IN recent years I have come to the realization that the baby was probably his favorite. Namely, Brittan. Why do I state that? Our Dad has always been such a neat freak or 'cleaner'. About 9 years ago, I was visiting Wisconsin and having breakfast with my youngest sister and her daughter and I witnessed an unbelievable act -- my 1 year old niece, Haidyn, was sitting on his lap with sticky hands from eating her pancake and he never flinched or fussed that syrup was dripping down his pants. Then I knew it -- literally -- the 'baby' must be his favorite. Who was this man? My dad?
43. She is a business major. We brought here her some 20+ years ago to help us at the Insurance office and she has been an intricate and vital piece of the puzzle to keep our agency successful. We know we owe her a debt of gratitude!
44. She has been married to Craig now for over 15 years... I think the 20 year anniversary is close. He was "set up" with her on a date back when I was PG with HP. She was in the process of actually moving back to Wisconsin - but praise God it was a divine meeting and she and Blake stayed. And Blake received a family through Craig - a brother and a sister that indeed blessed him and made him feel so loved.
45. Speaking of Craig -- she relies on him, loves him and I admit - he is a pretty good catch. Hey -- he took her to Africa for her 50th?? All I could do was bake a cake!! But, I totally believe Craig's influence on her son...their son...Blake was indeed a God appointed thing. Blake flourished and grew in many ways -- it was awesome to watch.
46. She loves the Green Bay Packers and basically everything stops when a game is on -- I mean - seriously!! I wonder if she will be able to see it from Dubai?
47. She is in a new season of her life -- she knows what she wants to do and I pray that as she continues to seek God -- He will orchestrate her path as she begins her "2nd season".
49. I believe and hope that as we continue to grow older....she may have to DYE her hair... !!! LOL
Cue the laughing -- seriously - she is a Natural beauty and natural red head and loves to remind that she has never dyed her hair.
50. And on that note - sweet sister -- you are VERY far away and yet, the video of the camels made me smile today -- thank you for thinking of me. I pray this blog BLESSEd you - I figure there will be a few corrections I need to make - I KNOW you hate ANYTHING public like this -- but too bad.
You are loved and I wanted to share with my readers -- a little of my sister -- God bless you and Happy Birthday!
Love - Chell
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please let me know how this touched you . . . thanks!