being who you are

So y'all know I have four sisters (I also have a baby brother, and there are 17 years between us). I love my sisters, I can't even say it enough, I love them. I'm so proud of them, I'm amazed by them, and I'm inspired by these girls. I'm glad to have them in the lives of my children, even though they're miles away in Colorado and Wyoming, I'm so happy that my daughter has such amazing role models to look up to. My life is better because I know them.

These are all my siblings, sometimes we rock out at weddings.

Especially close to my heart is my sister Abbey, we're 18 months apart and she was my first best friend... my mud puddle buddy when we were little, and in high school she was forced to awkwardly chaperon my dates.  This past couple weeks my sister Abbey has reached a point in her life where she was able to see herself and who she is clearly. She took a good look at her heart and hopes and dreams and realized she knew what she wanted from life, she found where she belongs. Abbey is going to become a nun. I'm thrilled for her, ecstatic actually, and extremely proud. It takes courage to be who you are, especially if it means you don't fit into the norm, and my sister is a courageous bad ass.

old school picture of a few of us, Abbey has her head on Mom's shoulder, Kelly in Mom's lap, Shannon with the cute button nose, and I'm the one with brown hair.

I'm not super religious myself, if we're being honest I sit through church services only if I'm forced (usually by my mother) and it feels like torture. I spend most my time looking at the other adults around me wondering if they are also suffering or if maybe they're feeling something else, something holy. When we were kids my mom would make us kneel and pray rosaries with her in the afternoons, I spent my time praying the phone would ring, or the house would burn down.

Well, Abbey is the total opposite, she would go to mass every day if she could, she wants to pray rosaries daily, because it stirs something in her soul that I've never felt. Even though I'm a flaming heathen, I try, and my sweet sister never judges, never chastises, she has only love. Love for everyone, no matter race, religion, or sexual orientation  she's not perfect but she comes pretty damn close in my opinion. So I guess I can share her. Because the Catholic Church needs some good people, we all need some good people for that matter.

Congratulations Abb, Abbers, Miss Aberoo, sister, best friend. I'm happy you found who you are, you make my heart sing.

My Beautiful Sister Abbey