Christanne Harrison

What can you really say to the person who has been there since the very beginning of your life and not left your side since? I could not have asked for a better sister and am so thankful that you are.
I have always felt that you have wanted the best for me. You would beg mom to make me stop reading so I wouldn’t turn into a “total nerd”. I have always been invited along with you and your friends, even though you were always the popular one. I have met so many of my friends through you.

I remember having lots of fun together when we were small. We would play and run around the neighborhood with friends. When I really wanted to learn to ride a two wheeler, you ran around and around the cul-de-sac holding on to the back of the broken down, rusted green bike until I could do it.
When you went off to school, I didn’t want to miss out. So, mom taught me how read the same books you were learning to read at school. It made me feel like we were doing things together again.
It was nice that when I started kindergarten, you were there in the same school too. I know that I made you frustrated when I could still spell “guitar” after two years. But, you were always a good sport, and you remembering it for two years is probably a greater accomplishment than me knowing how to spell it.
We had fun in high school and you were there to help me realize when guys actually liked me: you saw Richard Moore touch my arm and convinced me that Jeff was interested. It was fun to double date with you, and you didn’t even get bad when I punched your boyfriend in the face (because, of course, he deserved it).

One of my most fun trips was when you, Andy III and I went to visit grandma and grandpa by ourselves. It was fun to have their undivided attention and to find the “forbidden” trunk full of grandpa’s war treasures.

I was so glad that you were there to drive down with me to BYU when I was a freshman and show me the ropes. I was able to walk off campus to your apartment and hang out with you and your roommates and see that all girls at BYU weren’t as crazy as my roommate.
I admired you for going on a mission and it helped me decide that I wanted to go too. You wrote a letter to me when I left on my mission that was one of the most meaningful letters I received. You made me laugh when you came visit me in the MTC in your short skirt and name badge and helped me not take myself too seriously when you picked my companion and me up at the mall with ½ gallon of ice cream and 2 spoons. You did all this when you were going through the difficult break-up with Mike. I wish I could have been there with you for that.
You always see the best in people, and they feel special when they are your friends. You have a unique way of being a friend and helping others feel like it is a privilege to be your friend in return.

You were really there for me when I needed a place to go after graduate school. You encouraged me to come to Boston and be part of your life. You made a place for me there where I felt welcome and safe. I walked into a group of friends before I even met them—because you were their friend, they were willing to be my friends. I have so many good friends and fond memories from being there. In so many ways, those experiences defined me as a person. I love the time we spent together there.
I was thinking about your 30th birthday bash in Boston—what an event! It was super fun but also super crazy with your wacko roommate and your purse being stolen…only in Boston.

You take time for people so they love you, but I get to be your sister—and not very many people get to be that. I just hope that I have given back to you even a small portion of what you have given me. I think I will have known you and loved you longer than anyone I will know in my whole life.

Happy 40th Birthday! I am so glad that you now live close to me again. I look forward to another 40 more years with you.

Lots of love from your “favorite” sister!