17 Naomi style vs. 17 Mana style...

Today was Naomis birthday, for those of you who didn't call, might wanna do that.....
After a long tiring day/week at work I picked up both my roomies and headed out to Mom and Dads house. I made a few stops, picking up a card and such but eventually made it to Hacketts Cove. I got the usual big hugs from everyone and introduced to Naomis 10 or 11 teenage friends. Lots of energy, some snacks and sugar later the 15-17 yr olds were hyper and pretty riled. It was really a great time. Got everyone up and dancin'. Randomly in the middle of all the fun some girly teen drama where tears where shed and then back to the fun by the time a late night movie was put in. Once all the girls were settled into the movie Heidi, Nicole and I headed out. The car ride home is about an hour and for the most part I stayed quiet (for once). I drove and thought back to my own life at 17. Lucky for Naomi it'll be happier times for her. On January 5th of 2002 I turned 17, on the 6th I was in the IWK hospital, it was the start of a 6 week stay to prep me for the surgery I was to have in Febuary. The idea was to get my lungs in the best condition we could to pervent any breathing complications during and/or after surgery. At 17 I sometimes felt 50, while I've had my moments where I curse my childhood, especially my teenage years I know I am who I am because of it. I truly believe everything happens for a reason. Many good friendship were built on those hospital stays. Plenty of lessons learned, life long things that will stay with me forever. I can't even express my happiness though to watch Naomi be that 'normal' type teen. I almost envied her for it. Listening to 12 teenage girls go on about crazy 'end of the world' boy problems made me smile. Little do they know but life will get tougher and so will they. Boys get more complicated and dumb too by the way. That whole process of growing was my train of thought tonight. Those 'Lifes Hard Lessons' they'll have to learn. I hope for everyone of those girls it'll happen at a much slower pace then I went through. The drive home I kept thinking about the differances between Naomi and I. Little things that I missed out on as a teen because of my illness. Certainly attending a proper high school instead of a classroom on the top floor of the childrens hospital would have made a differance. Little things anyone healthy misses out on, like watching a roommate in the hospital become health enough to finally get to go home, or the closeness and second family feel I treasure to this day with the nursing staff. We've grown up so different. I sometimes have a hard time talking to my sisters, both Elizabeth and Naomi. Both are very different personalities from not only each other but from me. I'm always afraid I won't be able to relate to what they're going through. Tonight in the mists of the fun and the random tears from overwelmed friends I saw a maturity in Naomi. It honestly almost threw me off guard. It took a brick hitting me over the head in the form of awful health conditions to reach some of the levels of adult Naomi showed tonight. Yet she still gets to be a teenager with her biggest worries being boys, clothes, makeup and school. Don't look at this as a complaining session, my teen years had plenty of good times too. The IWK deserves a ton of credit along with my family and close friends. Thanks to them I got through it all just fine. Tonight I simply felt a happy moment, a proud moment. I love knowing my sister is a healthy normal teen. At 17 I was in a different place but really it was timing best for me and Naomis timing is working just fine for her. In the battle of the 17 yr olds no wins over the other we both made to the check-point just with different routes. Who says thats a bad thing?

I know everyone reading this, Naomi included will be surprised at my sappiness tonight but I want everyone to know how proud I am of the growth I've seen in my baby sister. For those who don't get the chance to watch the young ones grow, take notes and give 'em a call. It'll blow your mind how far not just the girls have come in maturity but all six of the younger ones still at home.