My Big Sister

In honor of 32 successful years on this planet, I am here today to share my sister with you.  How do I explain my connection to someone who has been there all of life?  Like literally, our mom had both of us at home, and when I was crowning, my sister wandered in from the living room and when the photos were developed, you could see her blond head standing at the edge of the bed as my mom pushed me out.  I guess she experienced some jealousy early on, because soon enough my parents would respond to me crying in my crib only to find tiny bite marks on my arms.  If she was trying to scare me off, it didn't work; in fact, it just bonded us together.  She was such an extension of myself that for years I refused to call her by her name, but only called out "Sister!"  My parents tried to teach me her name.  They would spell E-L-I-Z-A-B-E-T-H, and I would say part of it, then change my mind and say "Sister!"

There were only the two of us growing up, a little over a year apart in age, and we did many things together, at the same time, as if we were twins instead.  My mom certainly treated us that way, dressing us alike whenever she could find (or make) two outfits that matched.  The only problem being that my sister was so tall at an early age, that we looked a little more like Arnold Schwarzenegger/Danny DeVito "Twins" than Mary-Kate and Ashley twins.  Unfortunately, I never "caught up" height-wise, and for my entire life she has made me feel small, juvenile, and dorky by proxy (even in high school when I borrowed her clothes...but if she'd actually driven me to school like she was supposed to, she could have stopped me before I left the house, so I think we're even).  Before I was clear on the birds and the bees, she again tried to discredit me as a member of our family by telling me that I was adopted, which meant that I really had no mom or dad, these nice people just found me and brought me home one day (thankfully we had those very explicit birth photos to prove the truth). 

She was my first hero and role model.  I know there is a perception that younger siblings are snoops and don't respect the privacy of others, but how could I resist sneaking into her backpack in middle school and reading the treasure trove of notes that she and her friends passed back and forth?  They had actual boyfriends, they mocked their teachers and their classmates with a ferocity, there were BAD WORDS written on some of them!  I wanted to figure out how to be like them, so they would invite me along to go to the movies without our parents.  I remember one time, hearing about my sister's plan to meet up with her friends (was it heard through a doorway or a phone extension cleverly picked up mid-conversation?  that's not important), and I thought if I could just look really cool for once, she might see me as an equal.  So I dressed my best, quickly and efficiently, then sat at the kitchen table knowing she would pass me on her way out the door.  I hoped so fervently that some shred of loyalty or kindness would stir in her heart, but when she came down and headed out, she just said goodbye and left.  I was crushed, and I cried for a little while, until my parents told me to get over it.

The older I get, the more people I meet, the more special my sister becomes.  Because I realize that not everybody has her take charge persona; in fact, some people spend all day talking about what they want to do...meanwhile Liz has gotten up and done it, then stopped off for a latte and a manicure on the way back.  She decided to be a doctor, but if she ever decides she doesn't like it, she could always be a computer programmer or interior decorator instead.  How many people can boast that broad of a skill set?  Certainly not her little sister...I can do a blog or cross-stitch a Bible verse though!  And I love that the older we get, the more our similarities come out, like how we've bought the same pair of shoes independent of each other three times now, or watched the Royal Wedding two time zones apart.  And we can share books and movies, or trade our kids' toys.

I love my big sister.  I love her heart and her generosity, and I love her most when I am not living directly in her shadow :)