Tuesday, January 4, 2011

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

1 comment:

Mommabear said...

This is a great birthday present.Being that I am a teacher I would like to take out my red pencil and make some corrections. I only choked on a balloon once- the other time was a coin. I had to wear your hand-me-downs and they had all shrunk. And you are My best friend too. But you are right about a few things, you weren't always nice to me... nothing a few ALpini bars and great support hasn't made up for though. I would gladly be you back up singing- cooking assistant any day.