Mags was only 11 years old when I was born, closer in age to me than she is to her own brother( My Dad). One of my first memories of her, is when she took me to the Whitwood theater to see Lady and the Tramp, then out to Farrell's for ice cream after. She was probably in high school then.
Just imagine being a teenager and in your early twenties and a aunt to NINE young girls. We were forever getting in her hair and driving her nuts, I can't imagine having to share my home with a bunch of rambunctious little girls and eventually boys. We were always getting into her room and stuff, it couldn't have been fun all the time. I can now understand why she sometimes would get ticked at us.
She was much more like our cool older sister than a aunt.Her nickname for us is "Girlie O's" She took us everywhere in her little red Blazer, shopping at Broadway, trips to the beach to see the cute lifeguards. In fact, we all love to tell the story of the time she was taking us to the beach and a young girl cut her off by the La Mirada Country Club. She got out of the car, walked up to the girl's car ( the girl was furiously rolling her window up) and told the girl how she put a car full of little girls in danger. Ya, we aren't ever going to let her live that one down.
Another time, Grandma sent us to the store for breakfast and we bought a bunch of junk. Grandma could have cared less but Mags felt differently. She made us walk back to the store and buy something more suitable for breakfast. I am cracking up just thinking of it now.
When I was thirteen, she decided that I should learn how to drive, not on the streets but at least in parking lots. So it quickly became our Saturday secret, she would take me out to York Field parking lot and teach me how to drive. The only reason our secret got out, is because one day my mom passed out at the grocery store and didn't know how we were going to get home, I quickly piped up, " Oh don't worry, Aunt Maggie taught me how to drive." BUSTED. Oh well, she saved my parents the hassle, ( Dad, complain to her about my driving since I know you are reading this) and we had fun in the process.
She has been much more of a older sister to me than my own. We have had many good times together, one is when we went to see her favorite singer Rod Stewart in concert together, that is one memory I cherish to this day. Just her and I sitting on the lawn listening to Rod Stewart.
Eventually we caught up to each other, we were married just 3 years apart, had our first children two years apart. Actually I was pregnant with Conner at the same time she was pregnant with Randon, we had them just four months apart. We have gone through our mothering years as equals, became stay at home mom's at the same time. Now we get to enjoy being mothers to teenagers together. Our kids have grown up together and it has been fun to watch.
She has been my toughest critic at times, but she has been one of my most ardent supporters. She has encouraged me time and time again. She has always known my friends by name, in fact she just saw Gaby for the first time in years and immediately knew who she was. She is my sob sister, cut out of the same melancholy, emo mold. She understands me and knows me well, something I really have always appreciated about her. She is a huge part of my life, one of the first people that I look for in time of need.
Thanks for always being there and being such a great aunt. I love you and wish you the most happiest of birthdays.
I wish that I had more pictures to share but here are a few from years gone by.
