Sisters--One Of God's Greatest Gifts

From my perspective sisters are one of God’s greatest gifts to us. As the baby of the family I was blessed with incredible sisters who played a significant role in my life. They have always been there for me at the crossroads in my life. We have shared joys and sorrows; births and deaths. And we have helped carry each other’s burdens. We have had many unforgettable moments; blissful, exciting, joyful, and heartbreaking. These experiences have been unique and memorable with each sister and have bound us tightly together.

Last weekend I had a baby shower planned for my daughter-in-law but after breaking my leg I didn’t know if I could still hold the shower. Instead of cancelling, my sisters stepped in and helped my girls pull it off. They did a wonderful job complete with great food and fun! It made me remember a time about 20 years ago when I ripped all the ligaments in my ankle. I had two little children to care for and Robert worked long shift work hours. My sister offered to care for us. Each day on his way to work Robert would take us over to her house and she would babysit all three of us. I could do nothing for weeks but lie on her couch and let her tend and feed my boys. Last weekend I found myself once again the recipient of my sisters goodness.

We haven’t only shared hard times. We have also had a lot of fun and went on some great girl’s trips together...an East Coast tour to Washington D.C. and New York... a trip to Moab to hike in Arches National Park...a trip to Salt Lake City to shop, have a nice dinner, and watch a movie…and a flight to Seattle for a drive around the Olympic Peninsula and a ferry ride to Victoria, Canada.

Some of my favorite memories are the simple ones, like having birthday luncheons and going out to the movies together. I love just talking and laughing. And I love those crazy late nights when we get the giggles so bad. When sleep deprivation has made us so silly that we laugh about anything. One such moment was during our East Coast Tour. It was 1:30 in the morning and we had to get up at 5:00 am. We couldn’t stop laughing and mom asked us if she needed to spank us so we would go to sleep. This just made us laugh harder. These are moments I cherish.

So to my sisters, I love you. I appreciate you. I cherish you. And I thank you for everything!