The Toast

Sis, this is the toast I would have given if we'd been able to stay longer.

For those of you who don't know me, I'm Jeni's older sister Megan. For those of you who do, everything I'm about to say will be old news, so my apologies for boring you.

Jeni is younger than me by 19 months. That means I'm not old enough to remember the day she was born, or even what life was like before she made her early entrance into this world. She's a part of my earliest memories.

Like all sisters, we've had our fights and our fallings-out over the years. We've swapped clothes, make-up tips, and so on. She got me my nose piercing for one birthday. I designed her tattoo as a belated Mother's Day gift after Jessie-bug was born. We've had late night talks till we laughed in giddiness from sleep deprivation. We've had fights till we both cried. We've seen each other through bad boyfriends and good boyfriends, through the joys and trials of raising our children. We've swapped notes, music, and recipes. In short, we are sisters.

Jeni, do you remember what you said shortly after I began dating Jeremy? You said, "I'm not surprised. When you brought him over to meet me and Jessica, I just knew you two would end up together."

Well, I didn't get to meet Andrew before you guys started dating. I have a hard time remembering when I met him, to be honest - your relationship with him seemed so easy, so organic, that it seems to my frazzled mind that you two have always been together. I know that that's horrible of me - that I can't remember the first time I met your husband - but to be honest, you two seem to work so well together that it's hard for me to picture you apart.

When I learned that he'd popped the question, after the excitement died down, my reaction was identical to yours upon learning that Jeremy and I were a couple: I wasn't surprised.

You two complement each other. You fit together so perfectly. You're a beautiful couple, and the love you share with each other and your daughter is tangible.

Dear sister, you know me, you know my cynicism all too well. But looking at you and Andrew, and the way you look at each other, it all seems to melt away. You are beautiful, Andrew is beautiful, and when I see you together, it's magnified until it nearly hurts my eyes to see.

I love you both. I'm not psychic, but I've seen your future, and I know that, while you may have your ups and downs like any married couple does, that you will have a happy and blessed future.

Congratulations, baby sis. I love you. And welcome to the family, Andrew.