She's My Person

I just can't help but write a blog all about sister love because today is her birthday, and she is a person who deserves to be celebrated this year and every year to come.

Have you ever finished a great book, binge watched a favorite TV show on Netflix, or finished watching an incredible movie, and by the end you just feel like you'd love to be a part of that world, or you forget that the characters aren't actually your besties in real life? Don't try to tell me that you never felt like friend #7 who belonged in the Central Perk with Phoebe and Chandler, or that you didn't not-so-secretly wish to be Leslie Knope's office buddy or one of the guests at Jim and Pam's wedding. I'm sure that there are many of us who would just kill to be selfie-ing it up with T-Swift or chilling and watching a Seahawks game with Chris Pratt... Or maybe there was that girl in high school who was just so great and you so wanted her to know you existed so you guys could be real friends who hung out and talked about boys and sat around doing homework together. Maybe all these examples are a bit specific, but I know in some way all you people must have felt or feel this way about SOME person SOMEwhere at SOME time in your life.

For me that person was (is) Kirstin. My big sister was my hero. However old she was, you could bet that was my favorite number for that year. I couldn't imagine anyone more beautiful in the whole world than her (still true). To my little 6 year old brain, having my 16 year old sister sit and open presents with me around all my friends at my birthday party was a dream come true. She took me to the mall to pick out presents for my 8th birthday, and it was like going to Disneyland. She once she drew a rainbow picture in crayon of my name, and I thought i'd died and gone to heaven. One time she dressed me up in one of her prom dresses with the long feathery gloves and everything (ahhh, the 90's), gave me a rose, sat me on a stool in the garage and took pictures of me for her high school photo class.

With a 10 year age difference, I wouldn't say we were ever close back in those days. I have these wonderful memories of her, but they were very few and far between. And if you ask her, she'll say she really doesn't even remember my childhood (haha!). I remember all these things so vividly because most of the time my big sister was a far away celebrity to me, someone who I longed to notice me and want to be my friend. But what high school girl wants to be besties with an annoying little kid? Not logical. Every time she did reach out, I was the queen of the world, the happiest and luckiest little girl there ever was. 

Our family kept growing up. Kirstin and Tyler got married and started making babies! My hero big sister made me into an aunt at 9 years old, and my greatest excitement quickly became being the best Aunt Nettie in the world. After a few years, they moved to Utah. And so my solo airplane rides began. Every school break I had, I was on a plane to Utah to visit Kirstin and Ty and the kiddos. Years went by, they moved to Texas, and my trips continued. With each visit, Kirstin became less of an unreachable celebrity to me, and more of a friend. Together we'd watch all the Rush Hour movies in one night. We'd go to the dollar theater with $20 worth of junk food. We'd take hundreds of pictures and play games and sing in the car and laugh our heads off. Even when we weren't physically together, we were always connected, first through instant messaging, then through texts and calls and snaps. Always. Every day.

I can't pinpoint any certain moment when it was determined that we were best friends. But it totally happened. And since then, I have never questioned that my sister feels the same way about me that I do about her. She doesn't view me as an annoying little sis who won't leave her alone. She proves that with frequent and random "I love you nettie-poo!" texts. She shows it when she begs me to come for another summer visit, or when she snaps me pictures of Tim Riggins from Friday Night Lights. She shows it by cuddling up to me on the couch, or being excited to spend a whole weekend with just me at Lake Chelan. She helped me through break ups and big decisions and she stands by me even when I mess up and act dumb or just need to vent. She knows she can always turn to me with the good or the bad or the ridiculous, and that i'll come running to her with the same. She proved it when she surprised me at my college graduation, and when she bawled her eyes out as I left my wedding hand in hand with my new husband.

My dream came true. My hero/celebrity/role model/fantasy best friend is my REAL best friend.

I'll spend my whole life feeling grateful for you and the friendship that we have. It is more special to me than you will ever know. And I love you sissy poo! Happy Birthday!