A Sister Is Good Self Care

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

My amazing little sister is 40 today.   

A sister can be one of your best support systems for good self care.  Where else can you find someone who knows you so well, for so long, and still loves you despite all the mean things you ever did to her?  I confess that I have not always been the best sister, but PJ has always been very forgiving and loving to me. 

In honor of her birthday, I thought I would share 40 things I know and love about her today:

1)      

1. She used to worship the ground I walked on, even though I didn't always treat her very well.  (I am sorry)
2. She used to borrow my clothes and get into my things
3. She was always willing to sing back up
4. She was always there to play with
5. For some reason, I remember more than one traumatic occasion where she choked on a piece of balloon. 
6. She was completely pliable when she was younger; she could do the splits and was fabulous at gymnastics and she doesn't sit still well even today
7. She brings enough energy into a room to light a ball park
8. She is beautiful
9. She loves Thorton’s Alpini chocolate bars
10. She doesn’t know how awesome she is
11. She served a short stint in the Marine corp
12. She somehow repeatedly survived pushing our Dad’s buttons way beyond the point that me and our brother felt was wise.
13. She and I used to have giggle attacks at the dinner table where we couldn’t look at each other without laughing
14. She was my room mate until we were in high school
15. She is a fabulous mom to three wonderful sons
16. She can fix anything
17. She can sell anything
18. She is tough
19. She has a teaching degree
20. She listens when I need someone to talk to
21. She doesn’t have too many childhood pictures where her belly isn’t hanging out of her shirt.
22. She might get sentimental if you call her “Paula Jean King Queen Speaking”
23. She once handed out all of her first grade pictures before our mother had a chance to see them
24. She really never liked that “pixie” haircut that our mother made her wear
25. She is a really talented actress
26. She loves the Chicago Bears
27. She is generous to a fault
28. She is witty
29. She will stand up for you
30. She can’t spell
31. Blue is her favorite color
32. She didn’t eat chicken for years after she was tricked into eating rabbit disguised as chicken for dinner one night.
33. She was the best synchronized swimming partner ever
34. When we had cooking shows- she was always the assistant
35. When we go on vacation she buys souvenirs for EVERYBODY
36. She once served as the bridesmaid for two weddings in one weekend (mine and her best friend, Jennifer’s)
37. She made sure that I got my grandma’s cookbook because she knew it would mean a lot to me.
38. She is so much more capable than she gives herself credit for
39. She made sure that I didn’t spend my birthday completely alone this year. 
40. She is my best friend