You Can't Always Get What You Want

When I was little, I wanted a sister more than anything in the world. I prayed to Mary. (Mommom said, "If you want something, pray to Jesus. If you really want something, pray to Mary, his mother.") I wrote to Santa. I lied to my class, teacher and principal when I was jealous of a kindergarten classmate whose mother was pregnant. Finally when I was seven, my wish came true...or did it?

My sister hates dresses and always has. Don't even show her a pair of tights/stockings/nylons. She prides herself on her array of made-to-fit sneakers. You can usually find her in a T-shirt and shorts/sweats. She never pierced her ears because there weren't long enough breaks between sports seasons (can't wear tape over them anymore). She never owned a Barbie, opting instead for cars and trucks. And, she just let me pick out her homecoming dress of the 10 my mother bought her.

I've concluded that she was supposed to be a boy, but all my praying changed her physical gender.