Spanky pants

Yesterday I was talking to my sister Claudia on the phone. We had a really nice talk about nothing really in particular. Andrew's starting preschool, Benji becoming a teacher, Claudia's wacky co-workers. Just one of those Sunday afternoon phone calls to keep in touch with your loved ones. When I got off the feeling I felt so good. I realized how cool it is that how my relationships with my sisters and brother have changed now that I'm "grown up".

I remember growing up how much I looked up to my sisters, especially Claudia. I thought she was so cool and I always wanted to hang out with her with her and her friends. I probably annoyed the crap out of her (I only did it 'cuz I love you Claudia!). And then I remember one of our last family vacations where all six of us went. We went to Italy and Paris. It was such a great trip, with the family home video so long it may rival The Ten Commandments. I have been smiling to myself all day just thinking of the different things from that trip: taking turns doing "chorizo duty", walking like the cross-walk signs in Nice, the train ride from hell where Carlos fell from the cot, my sisters daring me to sing El Condor Pasa in the shower loud enough for other rooms to hear, and playing Spoons in our humongous room in Florence using the little gelato spoons from the gelato place we literally went to at LEAST once a day. I think most of all, I'll never forget Claudia and I making up a song about the brand of underwear we both shared. They were called Spanky Pants. And I have to admit, I still know the song! And it goes like this (Claudia, I know you know it too!):
Spanky pants, they're the greatest thing
Spanky pants, they make you want to sing
Spanky pants, we love 'em, we love 'em!
We love spanky pants!!!

Heheh! I can't believe I just wrote out a song that we made up about our underwear!

But anyways, that trip was so great. For so long, I just wanted to be fun to hang out with instead of the annoying little sister. And that trip made me feel that way. Now, more than 10 years later, I get to have that again. I love both my sisters very much and I don't know where'd I be if it wasn't for them. They always have a shoulder to cry on, and will always listen, even if they don't agree with me. Thanks for helping me become the person I am today. I love you guys! And I love you too Carlos! I'm glad we've moved past me giving you bloody noses and you choking me! Whenever I start to get annoyed at someone, I think of you and how forgiving you are of others, and I try to act as you would.