Gimme a J!

In honor of my sister's birthday I thought I'd make up a cheer for her! One of Jeanette's favorite "games" to play at family birthday occasions is for everyone to go around and say something that they love about the birthday person. So, in keeping with her tradition, each letter tells something that I love and admire about her.

Gimme a J!
Jeanette is one of the most JOYFUL people I know. It is rare that she's not smiling or causing others to smile.

Gimme an E!
Jeanette has always had a lot of ENTHUSIASM for everything she does. Whether it was skateboarding or playing the drums in the marching band or singing the lyrics to her favorite Billy Joel song, and these days, being a mommy to Erica and Mary Lane, my sister lives life with gusto.

Gimme an A!
My sister has always been the more ADVENTUROUS one of the two of us. I have typically been the cautious firstborn, testing the waters before jumping in. But not Jeanette. Early on, she wasn't afraid to try new things and didn't seem to be afraid of anything (except birds and dogs). When she was in her twenties, Jeanette thought it would be fun to go skydiving, so she and some friends found a place to go on a tandem flight and she had a blast! At the time, I thought she was a little crazy for doing it, but now I admire her sense of adventure and kind of think I'd like to try it someday myself!

Gimme an N!
One word that definitely describes Jeanette is NICE. She has always had a knack for seeing the good in others and has a sensitive heart that loves to show kindness to those around her.

Gimme an E!
Jeanette has always been EASY-GOING and easy to get along with. Especially when we were growing up, I was the serious one and she was fun-loving and laid back. It takes a lot to make her mad and she doesn't seem to mind going with the flow of whatever is happening around her. I think she has rubbed off on me over the years, though, because I think that I've mellowed out as I've gotten older!

Gimme a T!
Like I mentioned above, Jeanette has a TENDER heart. Growing up, she was always quick to forgive me for my older sister meanness, and she had such a sweet way of mothering her baby dolls (even if she carried her baby Suzy by the hair). Jeanette was the one who wanted to have a pet and whether it was our goldfish, the hermit crabs or finally, a puppy, she had a tender place in her heart for other creatures.

Gimme another T!
Another trait that I admire about my sister is that she is TRUSTWORTHY. Jeanette is a loyal friend and has always been someone who will keep something in confidence and who you can trust with your feelings and emotions.

Gimme an E!
Over the years, one thing that has helped me through many a rough or low time has been her ENCOURAGEMENT. Whether I needed a boost of confidence to change my hairstyle or to know whether an outfit looked OK, or if I was in need of a pick-me-up during a hard day, Jeanette has had words to encourage and uplift me. She can find the good in people and situations and helps me to see the positive side of whatever is going on at the moment.

What's that spell? JEANETTE!
Who do I wish a Happy, Happy Birthday? JEANETTE!