Sisters

{Katie, Me, Kylie}

I am pretty sure I have posted this picture before, but tonight as I was going through pictures on our computer trying to organize them I came to it again, and I was just overwhelmed with emotion. I have no clue why, but I just started to tear up and I continue to have a lump in my throat as I type this.

Katie is 4 years older than me. I always wished we were closer in age. When we were younger and shared a bed she always made me sleep on the tiniest sliver of the bed, but I didn't care.... I still thought she was awesome. When she would swing me around like a rag doll and call it "the crazy dance" I laughed like crazy and begged to do it again. She would agree to play barbies with me and then quit once she had decorated the house... but i was just glad she would play for a while. The only time Katie and I were ever in school together was in elementary for 2 years. I don't remember what grade I was in, either Kindergarten or 1st, but I remember being sick on the bus on the way to school. I threw up on the bus and felt awful. I don't remember very much about the day but I do remember being so glad that Katie was there take care of me. I am so glad she was there that day, and that she is still always there to take care of me when I need someone to talk to about a problem or just to get help making a decision. Sometimes Josh gets a little annoyed because I go to Katie for a lot of advice!! We can be shopping somewhere and I can't decide on what swim trunks to get the boys... so I call Katie and describe them and she helps me! It is a little pathetic I know, but man she knows how to make a decision! She makes my life easier... because I unfortunately suck at making decsions. Recently she told me that she is enabling me and she might cut me off from advice on simple decisions!! (I hope she doesn't mean it!)

Katie is the best mom, wife, and friend someone could ask for. I remember at my baby shower in WA. after everyone had left I just broke down and started crying. I was feeling overwhelmed about having twins, but I was just nervous that I wouldn't be as good of a Mom as Katie (and my mom). She truly is a wonderful mother and loves her kids more than anything. She truly is a selfless woman. She is such a good example of being strong and dealing with any trial that is set before her. She always continues to move forward and I am so grateful for her example. Mostly I am just grateful that Heavenly Father let us be sisters.

Kylie and I are 7 years apart. I am not sure what my parents strategy was with family planning... but I am so grateful to have Kylie as a sister. I will have to admit, I wasn't overly excited to hear the news of me being a big sister. I remember laying on the couch with my mom for a while just crying. I had been the baby for so long... I guess I just wanted things to stay that way. (My poor mom probably wasn't expecting that reaction!!) Well as soon as she was born my feelings were changed! She was the most beautiful baby and I just wanted to touch her the whole time she was in the hospital. I couldn't wait for my mom to bring her to school to show to my class!! I remember as she got older I loved playing school with her. Since I was older, I think we mostly played school and store... so I could be the boss of course! As I got older I got too cool for my little sister I think. I don't think I hung out with her as much as I could have... and for a while, she didn't think I was all that awesome. In fact she sometimes would call me "you big fat momma heifer." (I promise I really wasn't) "She just wasn't that into me!!" (If you were wondering...I am not permanently scarred, and we laugh about this a lot now. Keep in mind she was probably in 2nd or 3rd grade when she called me this.) Kylie has always had a mind of her own, and she is a little sassy!! It is what makes Kylie Kylie. Now that I am older and married and she is a smart, beautiful almost 17 year old we have really had a chance to become good friends!! (unless I steal her cool clothes.. then we aren't friends). Kylie is a beautiful, smart girl...I am so thankful that we are friends and that I have her as my sister.

This is such an extremely mushy post... but I just really felt like I should post it. (Even though I am behind on my blogging)I think about it often how different my life would be if I didn't have my sisters. In fact I tell Josh that I want to for sure have 2 girls, because I just can't imagine having a daughter that doesn't get to have a sister.

Katie and Kylie... I love you guys so much. Thanks for putting up with me... the needy, indecisive, middle sister.

To everyone else... if you aren't close with your sisters, try to fix it! If you are... just make sure they know how much you love them!