Sisters

I had a completely different post planned, but in writing it, I found something else entirely coming out, so I deleted the old post and started anew.

I have amazing sisters. Truly amazing sisters. I don't tell them enough just how wonderful I think they are. So I'm taking a moment to talk about my sisters. Of course I won't be able to talk about every single quality they have that I admire, so I'm going to try to keep it to one that strikes me this moment as something I admire about them. So to my sisters, I LOVE YOU.

Jenn has been an inspiration to me my entire life. As my older sister, I always looked up to her, even when we fought constantly. I didn't borrow her stuff because I had no respect for it being hers (OK, maybe a little...), I borrowed it because I wanted to be LIKE her. She continues to inspire me and give me reasons to admire and look up to her, not the least of which is her becoming a marathon runner. I hate running. But she showed me ANYONE can be a runner. Even though I hate every minute of it, three times a week you can find me at the local track training to run my first 5K on Labor Day. It's just one of the many ways in which I want to be like my big sister.

Kathryn is also a major inspiration to me. She took up sewing this year and took to it like a duck to water. She does incredible things, often making up the patterns by herself. I should have told her how many compliments I got on July 4th on the skirt she made me. It's incredible, and she whipped it up in just a few hours! She has a rare talent and I'm amazed by her. Did I mention she's moving to China? With a toddler. And she's going to have a baby. IN CHINA. Her husband decided this was a good job opportunity, so she sold her stuff and found renters for their house, and now she's moving. TO CHINA! What a great, scary adventure she's undertaking. I don't know how she does all that she does, but she amazes me too.

Angela probably doesn't know I'm amazed by her. She works long hours. I've stayed at her house. I've seen how much she works. But it's just a job to her. But doing this job allows her husband to pursue his dream. I'm not sure she'd admit to being self sacrificing in any way, but she is. They have the financial freedom for Micah to pursue his dream because she is willing to work the long hours she works, and because she is willing to stay in a house that belongs to his extended family, a house she can't even call home. I'm not sure she sees what she's doing as self sacrificing in any way. It's all part of being married and doing what's best for them as a family. And that is part of the reason I admire her so much. It's just what she does.

I also have sisters in law who are as incredible as my own sisters, and I'm lucky to have brothers with the sense to marry amazing women. Now I get to have them in my family! They may not have been born my sisters, but they are now, like it or not. And I love it!

Valerie is the one I know best. I'm lucky enough to live close to her. I get to see her every week. Valerie amazes me on so many levels. She has a daughter who is unlike her in every way, but instead of butting heads with her, she works to understand her, to nurture her in ways that work for both of them. She allows her very different daughter to have her own very strong personality, and doesn't try to mold her into something she's not. It takes a strong person to parent that way, and a strong parent to nurture such a strong child. Valerie excels at it. She takes this headstrong, constantly on the go, princess loving, has to know why, very literal extrovert in stride, even though she is none of those things. She allows her daughter to be all that she is, and encourages her to be her very best. She has numerous other skills that deserve mention, but what strikes me most as I write this is how impressed I am and how much I look up to her as a mother. I could learn, and have learned, a lot from her on how to be a good parent. (I was going to mention her amazing culinary skills and how she adapted to a completely new diet at the suggestion of her doctor, but somehow this came out instead.)

Melissa is beautiful. Let's just put that out there. She's tall and thin and has amazing hair and fantastic clothes and is just flat out gorgeous. She is the kind of woman other women love to hate, but no one can hate Melissa. She is too dang nice! I don't get to see her often, but every time I do I am impressed at how sincerely she seems to care about others around her. My experience with her has shown her to be genuine and caring and kind. She has traveled the world, seen and done many incredible things, and yet she seems perfectly happy to sit and chat about whatever may be going on in my boring life. I hope one day to show the sincere kindness to and interest in others that seems to come so naturally to Melissa.

Kristy is the newest addition to our family. I don't know her very well, but I loved her from the day I met her. Now that day was the day she married into the family, but that's becoming alarmingly normal. From that first moment I felt like she belonged in our family, that she was meant to be a sister. Kristy snowboards and rides a motorcycle and keeps up with Dave in pretty much everything. She likes what she likes, makes no apologies for who she is, and lives her life her own way. She has an adventurous spirit that I admire. I'd like to be more like her. I wish I had the courage to live my life the way she does.

Just in case you didn't get it, I have AMAZING sisters. I have such great examples to inspire me to do and be better. I am one lucky and blessed woman to have such incredible women in my life. I love each one of them, and am grateful to be able to call each one my sister.