Happy Birthday to the Middle Child

Last night, I took a trip down memory lane and watched the cartoon version of "Little Women" that Annie, Kerry and I loved when we were kids.  I had no idea that it was an anime version of the classic Louisa May Alcott book, although the characters looking like this should have provided me a clue.

We marveled at well-written lines like when Laurie first meets Jo and says, "Does it bother you that I am so much richer than you?" and excellent translation mistakes like the sign proclaiming "On Reading!  Keep Out!" on Jo's bedroom door.  Truly a family classic (although the escaped slave who looked like a chocolate chip with gigantic fake lips did make us all a little uncomfortable).

I remembered how shocked Annie and I were when we finally read "Little Women" and discovered that Beth died at the end.  In the anime version, the doctor comes out of her sick room and announces that the fever had broken.  They all lived happily ever after.  Apparently those little Japanese kids couldn't hack the true horrors of the real world.

Anyway, watching this I was reminded how many times my sister Annie endured my favorite movies when we were little kids.  I insisted on watching "Wizard of Oz" at least twice a week.  "The Sound of Music" was on regular repeat along with "Annie" and "Pollyanna."  You can bet "Mary Poppins" made appearance after appearance as well.  Annie suffered through all of this, even though she *gasp* isn't a fan of musicals.  That's the joy of being the middle child stuck between two very demanding sisters... you learn to go with the flow.

Today my baby sister is 31 years old.  She still puts up with my taste in entertainment.  She means the world to me and I'm so grateful my parents decided not to put her up for adoption after all.