Today marks the 36th anniversary of the birth of my niece, Lisa. Growing up in a family with six girls plus my mom and having my grandma integrated into my life, I knew nothing of what it was like to not have females. When my older sister, Lynn, told us she was going to have a baby, my sister, Lori, and I were in the sewing room of our family's home, jumping up and down with glee. I was a senior in high school at this time. It quickly became a "we" situation because in our family, sharing was important! My memory about exact dates and times is vague but I do know that Lynn could not be at my cousin's wedding because she was in labor. BUT I do remember being among the very first people to hold that little monkey baby when she was born!
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Lisa was quite dark in color when she was born, hairy as could be, and the most beautiful thing I ever laid my eyes on! My former spouse was my boyfriend at this time and we just could not get enough of her. We went to Copp's the day she was born, when Copp's was still a department store, and bought her outfits and necessary baby items. We bought her a little sweater outfit which is what she wore home from the hospital. I think it was mint in color and with her coloring---gorgeous!
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Our lives would never be the same, the sun rose and set on that child. When Lynn's husband rejoined the service, going into the Navy, it tore our hearts from our chests to say good-bye to them as they left for Norfolk. They had stopped at my house in Milwaukee, as I was married at this time, on their way to Norfolk, and after they left, I threw myself across the bed and sobbed my heart out.
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Lori, my former spouse, and I drove out to see them at Easter, enjoying our time spent on the East Coast, seeing them and the sites around Williamsburg, VA, etc. That year at ThanksLiving we girls and Mom chipped together to fly Lynn and Lisa home, and surprised my dad. He was asleep in the chair and we put Lisa on his lap. He opened his eyes, and ta da!, there is our little dolly, Lisa. We had an airport in Manitowoc at the time, prop planes, but sadly, no more. The next January, Roger and Lori borrowed my brother-in-law's truck and drove out to pick up Lynn and Lisa, to bring them home for good. The husband did a Dear John thing, so the family to the rescue!
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We rallied to help Lynn out with Lisa, by this time I had moved back to Manty from MKE, and could pitch in where I could. Lynn got a job through a temporary service at the area technical school, working in the mail room. She did so well that she was hired permanently and is presently there at LTC about 33 years! Lynn is an administrative assistant and works in public safety training, etc. Lisa was cared for between her aunts and eventually went to day care. Still the most adorable child you would ever want to meet. My brother-in-law, David, asked Lisa once, "What is it like to have people hang on your every word?" I really don't think she had a problem with it!
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During the summers when Lisa was not in school, she would often spend her days with us where she was trained on office etiquette. Lisa loved to play with the typewriter, the big clunky type we used back in those days. Since our building business was run from our home, she had to learn the proper way to answer the phone, take messages, and so on, and did a good job at it. Later should thank me for the training as she would be complimented on her skills, both phone and people ones!
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Where I went, Lisa went and we spent good time together. Memorable for me, if not for her. And memorable for my sisters and Mom who also spent a good deal of time with Lisa. When we would go to the Mall, I would meet and chat with people, much to Lisa's chagrin. After years of enduring this, she asked me, in exasperation, "Do you have to talk to everyone????" Yes, I do! She would cringe when I sang along to the music in the grocery store and would duck down in the seat when I used the windshield cleaner when driving down the street. Yes, Lisa was quirky! And loved every minute of it!
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Fast forward through her dance recitals, Christmas programs, confirmation and the party (at our house), her cleaning and eventually babysitting for me...She visited us often when we moved to Florida and, then, she was getting married. Oh my! Here it gets tricky (sorry, sweetheart.....) because the same year she was getting married was the same year problems came to light in my marriage. She had always wanted my former spouse, who had been like a daddy to her, to walk her down the aisle, and it was touch and go there for a while whether he would be in the picture or not. He did "give the bride away" at her wedding while I had the privilege of singing for the service.
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Now Lisa is the mama of two darling boys and the wife of Noah, a wonderful husband and daddy to his boys. She was the only granddaughter/niece for a full twelve years, spoiled beyond measure and loved beyond measure. And today, we celebrate her birthday!!! 
