Sisters

The best thing about having a sister is that you'll always have a
friend.

This is the second year in a row now that I have been a horrible sister to two of my wonderful sisters.

I remember that their birthdays are in February, and I even have cards ready to send to them, but somehow it slips my mind and then I end up missing their birthdays and feeling really crappy about it, because they are so awesome.

I was blessed with four sisters and one brother. Even though all of my sisters were born years before me and Dan, and were pretty much a different generation, they have always been interested in my life and being my friend. I am so lucky!

DeAnna- my first memories of DeAnna were when she was a new little mother living in Idaho. I remember visiting her with my parents, and once I remember being left there for a few days and then brought back down by DeAnna and her husband Terry. They had a little yellow beetle and I remember waiting until the moment we would turn the corner of their street and see the Volkswagen Beetle, my little brother and I would try to be the first to sock the other in the arm and yell, "SLUG BUG!"

DeAnna was always (and still is always) telling amusing stories, many of them poking fun of herself. I love that laughter and good humor are a big part of her life. She always seems so optimistic and looking at the sunny side of things. She also always had funny songs to sing to us. I remember her face she made when she sang, "Galumph Went the Little Green Frog", and her eyes would bat and bulge. Still makes me smile when I think about that. I remember singing funny songs all the way home back to Utah in that yellow Beetle.

Even now DeAnna is always keeping in touch with me. She sends me little notes on my blog, she reads my facebook sometimes, and she never forgets my birthday (how do you do it!?) even though it's so close to Christmas and easy to forget. She even prank texted me a few weeks ago when her and my other sisters got together for a silly evening. She offered to let my son live in her basement if he wanted to try BYU for a semester before his mission. I bet she's an amazing teacher, I'm so jealous of her students and would give anything if she could be my kid's teacher. I wish I lived closer to her. She has many talents. She made our wedding cake. She made a cabin by hand! She shows horses and is an amazing mom and grandmother.

Karen- my first memories of Karen is when she chased me into the basement and said something awful to me. Hahaha! Man, I was a little stinker and deserved it. I'm glad she loved me enough to chase me down. Karen and I have had some pretty close times. I have always wished I could be as pretty as her. She has so many talents too! Ever since I was little I remember being in awe of her artistic talents. She drew the best horses and painted the best pictures! "If I could have half the talent she has in one little finger"...seriously!

Karen was my roommate when I found out about sex from the neighbor's kid. Karen wasn't shy to clear things up for me and help me know what was right or wrong about that information. She saved mom the embarrassment of telling me, hee hee. Karen, I have two little girls I could use your help with! ;) Karen was amazing on the horses. I remember watching her ride Star and turning on a quarter. Somehow she made him look easy to ride, so much that I thought I could jump on him with just a halter and rope! Imagine my surprise when I landed next to the feed box! She always drove the funnest cars. I remember her taking Dan and me for rides in the back of a station wagon and letting us sliiiiiide across the back when she took corners. And her Camaro was so cool! She also has a rubber face. She is also full of good humor. I always thought it was amazing how she could turn her eyelids inside out, and swallow my socks and let me pull it out of her ear! I love her laugh.

Karen was the only one (I know of) who cared about how skinny I got when I was 13. I was 5 feet tall or so and 79 lbs. Karen was the one who cared enough to tell me, "people die when they get as thin as you." Karen cared when I came back to Utah after a horrific experience with a first fiancee. She talked to me and helped me know that things could be ok someday for me, when really I just wanted to die. She also noticed my talents and wanted us to write songs together. Too bad I have no musical ability, but she saw I could write. This last year she chose one of my photographs to turn into a painting! She painted the picture of my Joyanna riding her bike down the hill. I was SO TOUCHED when she sent me a canvased copy of the painting! It was even more beautiful in person than it was on the Internet! I put it right over my dresser so that every morning I can see this whimsical painting and smile with delight. I just LOVE it! She has no idea how much that painting means to me.

These are only two of my amazing sisters. I wish you could all know them. Everyone should be so lucky to have such amazing people in their lives.

DeAnna and Karen, I hope that you know I love you so very much and I am really sad about missing your birthdays, again. Please know you and your families are always in our prayers every night. Love you!