The Oldest Sister

Is it true that the oldest sibling has it the hardest?  Just ask my oldest sister, Mona.

Mona is a self-admitted, textbook firstborn.  She’s organized, responsible, and goal-oriented.  Her house is always clean, she’s rarely late, and at work she’s always asked to take on more responsibility – even though she insists she doesn’t want to be in charge. Like it or not, firstborns are born leaders.

Looking back, we all admit that Mona probably had it the hardest growing up.  Try being the oldest of five daughters with a strict, old-fashioned father.  You’re going to grow up fast.  You’re going to make waves.  You’re going to pave the way (and extend the curfew) for younger siblings who will thank you for years to come.

Mona is also quite a catch, so she had lots of boyfriends in her youth.  And back in the early 70’s drive-in movies were the rage.  Did my parents allow her dates to take her to the drive in?  Yes, but only under one condition.  She had to take all four of her younger sisters with her!  Thanks to Mona and her boyfriends, I went on more dates before age five than most girls will before they graduate from high school.

Was Mona allowed to stay out late?  Not exactly.  When she was a senior in high school, her curfew was extended to 10:30 p.m.  Given that her boyfriend didn’t have a car (and Friday night football games are known to last past 10:00 p.m.), she often had to leave the game early and run several miles home (literally on foot) to greet my father, who would be standing at the door watching the clock.

When, at age 19, Mona married Dave, we were all a little worried.  I can still remember my outspoken Grandmother proclaiming, Why didn’t they at least graduate from college first? They had no money and no education – just two young kids in love, looking for some independence.  (We all knew Dave was the one when he agreed multiple times to take us all to the drive-in – even Grandma liked him.) 

The good news?  Mona gracefully paved the way for the rest of us. The first to break my father into boyfriends.  The first to get married.  The first to graduate from college.  The first to have kids.  The first to have grandchildren.  And now, the first to retire.  (Mona, I know you’re going to hit the ground running with a second career, but please do the rest of us a favor and take some time off!  You don’t have to go first anymore.)

Any firstborns out there?  Yes, us younger siblings don’t always understand what you’ve endured, but we can’t imagine life without you.  Thanks for going first!

Why Every Family Needs An Artist

Every family needs an artist.  That’s why I’m thankful for my sister, Mary Beth.

Mary Beth doesn’t blog.  And I can tell you – if she’s reading this, I’m sure she’s already feeling embarrassed.  Artists like their privacy, and they really don’t like public attention, even when it’s flattering.  So I promise I’ll keep it short.

Artists tend to be more compassionate than the rest of us.  They’re always concerned about the little guy.  They break tradition and vote their conscience (even when they’re raised in conservative, Republican families).  They date guys with long hair.  They worry their fathers.  They marry guys who are younger than them.  They live for a cause.  They live for passion, and they really don’t care what other people think.

I also admire artists for their insight and creativity.  I don’t think there’s much activity on the right side of my brain, and I think God knew that I needed an artist in my life to shake up my left-brained, myopic world.

Yes, I’m thankful my family has an artist.  She helps us keep life in perspective and helps us see beyond ourselves.

Do you have an artist in your life who helps you see the world through a different lens?

The Thrill Of A Bargain

Some women are expert shoppers – they know how to find real bargains.  I’m not just talking about the weekend sale at the local department store.  I’m talking about bargain-basement closeout prices.  When these women walk out of a store, the store loses money.  That’s right, some of these women are even known to get items for free!  They not only shop the specials, they wait in lines and usually have inside information.

My sister, Amy, is one of these women.  She’s taught me just about everything I know about shopping. Yes, part of it is genetic, but bargain shopping is also an acquired skill. 

What are the good traits of a bargain shopper?  Well, to start, you have to be patient.  Here’s a recent story to prove my point.

Amy is turning 50 today!  To celebrate her birthday, my three sisters and I are planning to visit her in Las Vegas next month.  What are we going to do?  This is where the story comes in.

Amy has expensive taste, so she’s arranged for us to stay at some state-of-the-art health spa in Utah.  Are we going to pay market price?  Of course not.  Are we going to get the weekend special?  Of course not. 
Amy has connections.  We’re still waiting on the details (which is where being patient comes in) but somehow we’re going to get some deal through a radio show and pay a fraction of the price.  Don’t ask me how.  I just know she has a plan.  And based on experience, I know she’ll come through. 

There’s a certain thrill in bargain shopping that comes with the hunt!  Yes, it requires some flexibility, but I’ll take a good deal over the predictability of paying full price any day.

Would you rather avoid the time and hassle and pay full price?  Or, like Amy, do you like the thrill of a bargain?

(By the way, Happy 50th Amy.  You're the best mentor I could ever have -- in faith and shopping!)

Loud Or Boring?

Some women know how to turn up the volume.  My Blonde Sister, Janie, is one of them.

Janie loves to talk.  But she’s not one of those annoying people who constantly talks about herself.  Instead, she’s always engaging other people.  She can carry a conversation with just about anyone, and she always has something interesting to say.  Food.  Music. Friends. Exercise.  New favorite recipes.  New health remedies.  Financial trends.  Parenting.  Every time I talk to her, I learn something valuable.  Better yet, her positive words always put me in a good mood.  She doesn’t complain and she doesn’t gossip – she just tells it like it is.  Sure, she can be extremely loud at family gatherings (and in public establishments), but I never mind the volume.

When I’m at a restaurant with Doug, he often tells me I’m talking too loudly.  I’m sorry, dear, but it’s genetic.  Besides, people who complain about loud women just need to get over it.  Better yet, they need to get over themselves and let the people around them enjoy life.  I’ll take loud over boring any day.

What loud women are you thankful for today?  Janie is another year younger this month, and I’ll have to say, I can’t imagine life without her. 

March Is Sisters’ Month!

I have four older sisters.  Three of them are born in March.  Like it or not, you’re going to hear about them.  That’s right, March is officially Sisters Month. 

To start, I’d like to be clear about something.  I like being the youngest.  In fact, I wouldn’t trade it for anything.  Here’s why.

Top Ten Reasons I Like Having Four Older Sisters

1.  I never had to make my bed or clean up after myself.
2.  By the fifth child, my parents conveniently forgot the curfew rules.
3.  I got to be a “third wheel” on lots of dates.
4.  I always raided their clothes and make-up.
5.  I got to be in lots of weddings.
6.  I’m never expected to bring casseroles to family gatherings.
7.  I’m the last to get wrinkles.
8.  Now that I've gotten wrinkles, they know what kind of cream to buy -- and what kind not to buy.
9.  I get lots of unsolicited advice (most of it's actually valuable and starts with "when I was your age.......").
10.  I have four best friends for life that I wouldn’t trade for anything.

Regardless of whether you grew up with sisters or are blessed to actually like your siblings, we all need each other.  And God puts friends and mentors in our lives that we can look up to -- to help us learn the ropes in the obstacle course of life.

What “older sister” are you thankful for today?  Or, maybe you thrive on being a mentor to those of us who relish being the younger sibling. 

(Younger siblings are also known to post embarrassing things in blogs about their older counterparts!)