Sister, Sister!

There aren't many of these. This is a picture of me and my sister at the dinner party thing we went to Saturday night. See how much we DON'T look alike? She's skinny, blonde and green eyed, and I'm...well...not! :-) Not the best pose of me either...I was actually sitting in the chair to the side behind me when I saw Bill's camera pointing in our direction, so I had to jump up and get in the picture real quick. We're not only different in looks though, our personalities are rather different as well.

I once heard someone ask James Dobson how kids can grow up in the same family and be so very different sometimes. His answer intrigued me...."No two kids grow up in the same family." How? The answer made sense. He said that when the first child is born, the parents are elated at this new birth..amazed at all their child does..etc, then the second child comes along and the first one, although still special, is no longer the center of attention, no longer the only child for the parents to tend to and love, etc. The whole family dynamic changes from one child to two, then for each child after that. It kinda makes sense that no two kids grow up in exactly the same family.

About my sister and me though, she is four years younger than me and much more stong-willed. She is THE boss...and I guess I let her be! (Here's an example: For Mother's day, we were going to my dad's and I was going to take a dish. I mentioned something that I thought sounded good, then my sister says, 'Nah...I think 'xxx' sounds better. I have some of the stuff here, but I'll get the rest at the store and you can come make it over here.' So guess what I took to my dad's....what SHE wanted me to take! haha! I didn't think about this being what really happened until I was driving home from my dad's and told my mom about it later in the day. I just don't know how it happens...I guess it's a good thing I'm passive, huh? Anyway, she is the boss! :-)) Our recollections of our childhoods are very different and things that stand out in her mind are not even on my radar, and vice versa. We weren't always so close as kids -- I was the tomboy and she was the one who played with dolls -- but as adults, we've formed a pretty strong bond. My nieces have been a huge part of that, but the other part, I think, just comes from growing up and knowing that we're simply sisters....for good and bad, no matter what. We have different views on some things and our personalities are so very different at times. She's much more cut and dried about things, I'm more 'gray area,' and I am definitely more sentimental. She will even agree to that. We are both pretty compassionate, but still sometimes, when things tug at my heart she's like, 'Yeah, right!' :-)

I guess it's a good thing we aren't all alike after all, huh?