Sisterly Love

Bridesmaid Sis AKA Little Sister Aardvark, will most likely kill me for this post. But what are big sisters for, if not to antagonize/love/guide/learn from their litte sisters.

The first thing you should know is that I am 11 years older than BM Sis. Technically we are half siblings, but the technical business doesn't mean much to us. In my big complicated family we are siblings. period.

Growing up in a house with a baby, right as I was hitting the difficult-anyway pre-teen years, did a lot to develop my patients, people skills, and my ability to sleep through anything. I will forever be grateful to my siblings for that.

How could being 11-14 be easy with a haircut like that?

The above picture includes myself, my sister, Step-mama Aardvark, and My brother. The strangest part about this photo for me, is that Sis is about as old now, as I was when it was taken. I remember how it was, being right in between grown-up and kid, and sort of jerking back and forth between the two. I loved both of my siblings but was convinced they would be eating/napping/poop machines with the occasional cute moment forever.

Well, last weekend our whole family got together for a baptism. It was lots of fun and a great chance to see two of my little flower girls before the big show. We were all (I think we were a herd of about 16) out on a walk trying to digest another over sized meal. I asked my dad what version of our song (more on this to come) he thought would be best for our daddy daughter dance. My sister, walking next to me, proceeds to ponder the different versions, stifle a sniffle, and then giggle and the full on cry. The whole emotion of the wedding, must have hit a pre-teen-hormonal cord, and there she was weeping, as we walked around a suburban Texas in the middle of the afternoon.

At first I was startled, but not really surprised. I would have been concerned except that she was laughing too, of course, because she knew how absurd we must have looked. I hugged her laughing and laughing and laughing so hard I was crying. But also crying a little bit because I was so touched that she was so emotional about my wedding. It was really a magical sister moment.

Here we are last Easter at my apartment

 I am so proud of the wonderful young lady she is turning into, and so relieved that she is not just baby-sister, but a real person now! (Funny how that happens, as a side not little Brother Aardvark is also turning into a splendid, if slightly less emotional person as well.) We can talk about serious things or the most ridiculous things and I will be forever grateful for that too.

Weddings bring out a lot of emotions at unexpected times and places. Have any of your friends or family members surprised you with emotional displays? Have you surprised yourself?