Happy Birthday Heidi!

My little sister Heidi Ann is having a birthday today.

When I was five years old, she joined our family. Cute little tyke, a perfect armload for a kindergartner.

She had an extra special name, always tied in my thoughts to Shirley Temple. When Heidi was still tiny, about 3 or 4 months old, we had a scare.

My mom always put Heidi down for her early afternoon nap in the front corner of the master bedroom in the bassinet.

This day, however, Heidi would not settle down. She fussed and cried until Mommy decided to move her into the other room closer to where she was working.

I was out in the front of the house playing in the yard and riding my tricycle along the sidewalk. I don't remember where Lori was, probably with my Mom and Heidi. (She was just barely two.)

All of a sudden, in the middle of the day, a drunk driver came swerving down the street and veered across our lawn, causing me to run out into the middle of the (thankfully not busy) street screaming and jumping. (A neighbor lady later informed my mom of all of this.)

The out-of-control car and its inebriated driver careened into the very corner of the room where Heidi had been napping until just minutes before.

We don't know what would have happened, but we can imagine, the car was part way into the bedroom and sheet rock, glass and booze littered the scene.  A bassinet wouldn't have stood a chance.

Did our little baby have a premonition? Was that why she wouldn't settle? We will never know, she was too young to ask.

It makes this day, Heidi's birthday, extra special to me. I am thankful my little baby sister had the chance to grow up and become a wonderful woman.

Happy birthday Heidi!