Happy B*Day Big Sis !!

Today is Michelle’s birthday and this is the second year I am away from her not celebrating it together. I was wondering if I should’ve sent flowers or chocolates to her but then later felt it would be better to do a small write up about my amazing “Big Sister”.

She is and always will be the big “elle” and experiences everything first among us sisters. Sharing an eleven and eight year gap between Michelle with Rozy and me isn’t small but she always came down to acting our age. The earliest I recall is she growing out of her Barbie Doll and Dinky cars stage in the late eighties – passing them onto us to continue her collection. And transcending in to the early nineties is when Michelle went through her “Punk Chic” phase. Hilarious! She’d wear leggings and accessorize it with fluorescent laces on her shoes. I’d look at her go for parties and begged and pleaded to go along as well. And then when I joined her school, ISM in Grade 4 – I felt thrilled to tell my classmates I had an older sister. I would stay back and watch her practice for fashion shows and concerts. I’m sure she won’t forget her “Right Stuff by NKOTB” dance!

Moving to Dubai from Muscat is when I started understanding life better and although none of us liked the move initially – we pulled through it as a close knitted family. And I’d say this was our “90’s Pop Music stage”. With Rozy having dreams about Michael Jackson and Michelle fully into Take That – music soon became an unanimous hobby among the three of us. That’s when we used to record all the videos and never miss a copy of Smash Hits! Thinking of going for the Backstreet Boys concert without Michelle seems weird as she was the biggest BSB fan among the three of us. Gonna Miss you, Mich!

As she eventually finished school and started college & working, Rozy and I were now in our teens and the age gap didn’t seem to be that big anymore. But there were those fights! Oh Loh! I’ve gone to the extent of throwing phones and TV remotes at her! I confess - I didn’t have a control over my raging temper back then. "Sorry Mich" - hope this public apology makes up at least a bit for what I did back in the days.

One fine day while I was using her ICQ Account chatting to my friends, a message pops up from “Sinned” saying he was an old ISM friend of Michelle. So she caught up with him and then we first met Dennis at her 22nd B’day party. I won’t forget mom and dad’s expression when they saw his long floppy “Nick Carter” hairdo and didn’t understand his accent. Haha! Slowly he was part of the family and we all hung out together, he bungee jumped for her, he even came along for the Westlife and B*witched concerts, joined our church, I bumped into Rosalie (an old SLSM school friend) through him and before you knew it, dates were being fixed for the wedding.

“Hi, I’m TRYING to organize a wedding”, I am 100% sure Michelle wont forget that line as she walked in to Dubai Marine Beach Resort enquiring about the reception hall where we burst out laughing. That day was fun and there was a funny moment with every hotel we visited. The wedding was even more thrilling having seeing my bridesmaid gown four inches short two days before the big day and Michelle driving like a maniac to get more material!

As she moved out and started their life together, the four of us packed our bags and moved to Sri Lanka in 2003 once I finished school. We’d never spent a Christmas apart from each other and this was gonna be the first which was going to be hard on us all. But Michelle and Dennis threw a huge surprise and ended up on our porch a couple of days before the festive season began! Challenges are always a part of the Clements road and when the robbery happened in 2004 – Michelle somehow got us safely back to Dubai to be reunited as a family.

While pregnant in her eighth month, Michelle was the perfect “Big Sister” (literally big also) during tough times in my life and it was good to know I now also had a brother to rely on who has been very encouraging as I started my passion for writing. Then tiny lil Montana entered this world and brought such joy to us all and I am nothing but honoured to be her God Mother.

Even though they live miles away in Melbourne now, Michelle has inspired me for who she is; her amazing career, her love & committment for the family, her motivation & determination in life and most of all – her SHOE collection! So Mich, the turns our road is taking this year has been way too sharp and challenging more than ever before, but you are still driving on smooth having a firm grip on the steering. May you have a blessed and Joyous birthday and an amazing year ahead.

Thanks for being a great Sista!

Love u loads..*hugs 'n' kisses*
Gino !!