So, on to the subject at hand...HAPPY BIRTHDAY TAMMIE!!!
Tammie is the first born of the family, I would bet that she had a wonderful first few years of life, enjoying being the center of the family until Karrie came along a few years later and 13 months after that the twins and finally a few more years later the baby.
My first memory of Tammie from growing up is that I L.O.V.E.D. her. She was the best person in the world to me for a long, long time. While her friends were still playing with baby dolls Tammie had a real baby to play with at home. Tammie and I shared a room growing up and in the mornings before school if I woke up and Tammie wasn't in the room with me I would just sit and yell and yell and yell for her. Awesome right? Not so much for her I'm sure. Tammie took really good care of me and I just wanted to always start my day with her. I also remember the smell of Aqua Net, acid wash jeans and tight rolling...it was after all the late 80's.
A huge change in our lives happened when Tammie started dating Lance, she was so in love and I hated every minute of it. I hated that she spent so much time on the phone with him instead of playing with me. I am certain that Lance was nice to me, I can't remember much aside from being so mad that someone was taking my sister away that I couldn't see past that. It took awhile for me to like Lance - he is and was a nice guy I just couldn't stand that Tammie wasn't focusing on me. The dreaded day happened that Tammie turned 18 and shortly after moved out of my parents house into an apartment with Lance. Worst day ever. I was so upset. Later Tammie would take me for play days and I slowly adjusted. I was around 7 - 8 when this was all going on.
Tammie and Lance decided to move to Kenosha in the mid 90's, right when they were leaving was when Tammie was preggo with Tessa. I was so heartbroken and sad that that they were moving away. Tammie got 2 notebooks and she would write in her notebook and I would write in mine, just what was going on in our day to day lives and such and then when Tammie and Lance would come home for a visit we would swap notebooks. It was such a great idea. I wonder where those notebooks ended up? I am certain that there would be some highly embarrassing crush confessions in there - haha. We went down to visit them a few times, once with Mom and Karrie and once by myself. We went to the beach and the 2nd biggest mall and outlet stores. It was fun. My first ever "big" shopping trip was with Tammie and mom, it was the 1st time I went to Wausau for crimoney sakes and it was a big deal. Super funny. The week that I got to spend down there on my own was great, I got to have little baby Tessa all to myself. We would snuggle on the couch and watch Scooby Doo and she was just the sweetest little peanut.
Finally, the day had come for Tam and Lance to move home - it was so great. Even better they were living just down the road from my parents house. It was awesome, we all got to see them all the time and get to know Tessa so well. I got to babysit for Tessa and I thought it was the coolest thing ever. Soon, some other very exciting news came along that Tammie was pregnant again. This time around I was 15 and had been babysitting for Tessa awhile and was just so excited for this new little baby girl. The day that Tammie had Brooke I was in the car in drivers ed and could. not. wait. to go meet this new little piece of our hearts. She is and was such a little doll with these HUGE eyes. I loved getting to spend time with Tammie and her girls; we spent a lot of afternoons decorating cookies, doing crafts and just enjoying all things girlie. First and foremost Tammie is an amazing mom, she loves her girls more than anything in this world and would do anything to keep them safe and happy. I have learned a lot about how to be a good mom by watching Tammie with her girls.
Nowadays we are all busy with our own lives but we still make time to catch up from time to time and it is always funny. Getting to know Tessa and Brooke and watching Tammie's family develop and grow has been such a huge blessing and gift to our whole family.
Tammie, thank you for all of the life lessons and the cherished times we've spent together. You know that you have always been like another mom to me and for that I am eternally grateful. I wish you only the best on your birthday and many blessings.
Much love,
Mindy Jo
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