Crossing Casco

Life can be magical.
How does one go from being the oldest child in a family to a middle child in one night? Does it happen often? I doubt it. It did to me. About 15 years ago, my youngest sibling gathered the four kids together telling us only that she had some very important information to share. I asked for some hints, but she'd only say that she wanted all of us to hear it at once. What could it be, I thought, an illness? Why did she need all of us assembled together in one room to tell us? I was a bit nervous, and even somewhat confused already before she started her explanation. The story she shared over the next hour and a half was jaw-dropping to say the least. We weren't a 'gang of four' but five. Nine years before I was born, years before Mom had met and married my Dad, she had a baby girl. Her name is Diane. She's also known as Dinnie to those that know her well. She grew up in Portland, lived right along side us almost, but we never knew. Soon after Dad passed in '97, Diane made contact with my Mom's sister, Gloria. As you might imagine, Gloria was confused and even suspicious when Diane made that first call, but after receiving several correspondences with detailed information about our family, including loads of photographs, she was convinced that the information was true. She soon relayed the news to my sister with copies of the letters and photographs. That evening in Marchin's livingroom, when Joanne shared the news, the four of us became five. Diane lives in Florida now. She has three beautiful daughters. I met Dinnie for the first time September 21, 2009, and we have crossed paths on two other occasions. It was a life-changing day for me as you might imagine.
Is it possible to go from oldest to a middle child in a snap of a finger?
I'm living proof.
And I love it!
Magic.