1989-1990 – The Third Year of Being Alive

Looking back through pictures of my childhood, I smile at all the pictures of little me, surrounded by so many sisters. Sisters are always a blessing, but when you’re blessed with FIVE of them, they’re all the more special. 🙂 So today, I am ever so thankful for all of my older sisters who have had such an influence in my life – even from before I can remember.

For Joy, the oldest, who – although I can’t recall a time when she wasn’t married! – graciously shared her room with me after I was born … got up to feed me in the middle of the night, took lots of pictures of her baby sister, and helped teach me to walk. I’ve always looked up to you, sister dear, whose very name spells out your outlook on life … and I’ve cherished the memories we’ve formed together, even though some of them had to wait until I grew up a little bit!

For Jessica, second sister, who shared great adventures outdoors with me as a child. 🙂 From building forts with me to handing down her bikes to me as I grew older, my adventuresome sister has always been there to challenge me to try new things I might not otherwise. Thank you for all the talks we’ve had together, my sister, especially living so close, and thank you for the challenges you’ve given to me in my faith.

For Valerie, my third sister, who would braid or curl my hair for me when I was little … shared special movie nights with me, and who I always looked to as the fashion expert when I was a child! 🙂 I’m so grateful for more memories formed as I grew older,too … when we were more on an equal footing! I miss our SparkPeople accountability and nights spent watching “The Office” or just hanging out together … I love you, dearly, sister, and I still so greatly value your tastes & creativity!

For Vicki Ann, my fourth sister … the one who would cuddle with me on the couch, and read and color with me. She who fueled my ambition as a writer with the old manual typewriter that was so much fun to plunk away at, and who always took the time to go on walks with me and tell me stories. I greatly cherish our shared love for words and books and academics and “vintage”-type things – from swing dancing to typewriters. Thank you, dear sister, for inspiring me to dream big and follow those dreams … for all the long talks on the phone, and for all the fun times we’ve shared together.

For Lisa, my fifth sister, whom I rarely call by her actual name! 😀 Sister closest in age to me, we probably shared the most memories together when I was a child … playing dolls together, sharing a room together, reading books together, and even doing our hair the same on occasion! This dear, wonderful sister o’mine who has taught me all I need to know about the fine dining experience, and who has shared with me all the struggles of going to college … thank you, my sister for all the laughs, the inside jokes, the Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, the movie nights, and the late nights studying “side by side by side” …

I hope each and every one of my wonderful sisters knows just how much I love them, and how I simply wouldn’t be the same without any of them. How different we all are as individuals, and yet our history is woven together in a way that we share with no one else. [And just so my dear little brother doesn’t feel left out … don’t worry, there’s a blog of thankfulness coming just for you! You just hadn’t been born yet in this year …]

It’s just like the quote says … “To the outside world, we all grow old. But not to brothers and sisters. We know each other as we always were. We know each other’s hearts. We share private family jokes. We remember family feuds and secrets, family griefs and joys. We live outside the touch of time.” ~Clara Ortega

Thank you, God, for my sisters … and for the memories formed in that California sunshine of so long ago.