Sisters.

I've struggled all week in writing this blog. I don't want to brag, and I certainly don't want to make those of you who don't have what I have feel jealous, left out, or cheated out of one of lifes greatest blessings. It's not that I had anything to do with it anyway, my mom and dad can take all the credit. I'm just a receiver of the gift that keeps on giving. I'm talking about the gift of sisters. I have 4 of them, so I feel especially blessed.Recently we all gathered together for our semi-annual "Sister Day". A day where we let the kids run free in Grandma's yard while we sisters forget our daily cares, reminese, remineace, ugh, remember the good old days, while making a craft for the upcoming holidays.

Growing up I didn't appreciate the fact that I always had to share a room, or that I was usually watching the younger kids while mom was sewing (clothes for me) or that my little sisters would sneak into my makeup when I wasn't home. Of course now, with years of wisdom behind me, I can look back and appreciate those experiences.

A couple of years ago, Kayla came to me with a homework assignment. She had to convince someone to see her point of view and needed that person to write a paragraph or two of why they agreed or disagreed with her. Her platform:
"Why I need a lock on my bedroom door"
Her argument was quite convincing and I found myself agreeing with everything she said. I knew how frustrated she would be when her sister would make herself at home in her room, borrow her clothes without asking. Helping herself to everything in her room, her flat iron, her mirror and makeup because she didn't want to go downstairs and get ready in her own room, leaving a trail of mess behind. I know when things went missing she could always blame her sister, she only has one so it wasn't too hard to guess who the culprit was.
Well, I jumped right in and agreed that having an older sister who felt entitled to anything she saw must be somewhat irritating, and that a lock might discourage any clepto tendancies, but as I started writing, I found myself reflecting back to my childhood experiences and the fond memories I have with my own sisters. I would make up dances with my sisters and perform them to my mom's old records of My Fair Lady and Singing in the Rain. I recalled the tea parties we would have, staying up late into the night playing slap-jack and laughing with my older sister until my parents would shout down the heat vent to go to sleep. Making spook alleys in the cold, dark food storage room, and staying up way too late with them on Christmas eve cuz we were all too excited to sleep.
Suddenly I was feeling sorry for my daughter, not because she had a sister who liked to hang out in her room, but because she only had one sister to hang out with in her room. My tune changed from "lock the door" to "unlock your heart". I found myself expressing to her how lucky she was that she had a sister who not only loved her, but one who loved to hang out with her. I tried to convince her that friends come and go, but your sister will always be there, and since she only has one, she'd better make the best of it. I reassured her that her sister will be the shoulder you cry on when some guy breaks your heart, and she'll be the first one you call when you meet Mr. Right. She'll be the one with the biggest smile in your wedding photos, and she'll be your childs favorite aunt. She'll be the one you run to when you've had your first fight with your husband, and she'll be the one to convince you that no, it wasn't a mistake, guys are just jerks sometimes. She'll be the one beside you while you push your little ones on the swing at the park, and on Halloween she'll be pushing her stroller along side yours up and down the neighborhood. She'll be the one you call when your husband takes the kids off your hands for a couple of hours so you can have some 'alone time', and she'll be the one you call crying to when your little one has gone off to college. She'll be your sounding board, your cheerleader, your therapist, your sanity. But most of all, she'll be your best friend.

I should know...I have four of them.

Oh, and by the way, the teacher gave me an 'A' on my essay.
(ok, now I'm bragging)