the other lady Q

this one goes out to my sister, and to all of you who have siblings.

you know the folks i'm talking about.  those punk-ass kids you wanted to suffocate in a closet.  the ones your parents forced you to be friends with.  the ones who laughed when you got in trouble.  them.

wildly enough, those same folks are the ones who know you through and through.  they remember what you were like as a kid, and they were there to witness all of your growing pains.  they could be your best ally, your perfect playmate, and your solid rock when needed.

don't get me wrong here.  i have a little brother, and i love him just as much.  but this one goes out to my sister.

i love you chels.


i was the oldest, typical type-A thought-she-knew-everything smartass.  totally shy, and aside from my wicked mouth at home, i was a pretty straight arrow.  and a definite late bloomer.

i didn't realize i was competing in the growing pains department until my sister beat me to official womanhood.  my little sister met aunt flow before i did.  i decided something must be wrong with me, and my ovaries were broken.

two years later (no kidding) i appreciated my delayed start.

chels beat me in other areas, as well.  first to ride a bike, first to kiss a boy, first to get the ever-so-important boyfriend, and first to find out exactly how pissed our parents could get if you pushed 'em.

my sister tested the limits, she knew no boundaries, and she challenged my safe little bubble of a world.

i've never liked vodka.

i'll never forget the days she'd "dare" me to take shots with her in the living room while my parents were conveniently around the corner.  where she inherited her cajones, i'll never know, but she gradually shared them with me.

like when i first got utterly schwasted.

sitting upstairs in the bonus room of our parents house, taking shots of vodka from a bottle she'd sneakily stolen from our parents.  i hate you, absolut.

it looked just like water.  it tasted something fierce.  i had no idea how much it took to "feel" it, so our small group of misfits proceeded to take about 10 each.  let's go directly to the end of the story...puking initiates, toilets overflow, blackouts happen and i am discovered hiding in the closet.  by my furious mother.

yes, we got grounded.  but i'm glad it was with my sister.

i'll also never forget the times she royally saved my goody-two-shoes butt.

the squeaky clean high-schooler, i had a few forays into the world of bad-boy-crushes.  one of whom was the high-school pothead.  after an evening during which i was supposed to be at "work", i had been craftily picked up and transported to a house party.  a house party in which i spent the majority of the evening drinking wine coolers (i was so awesome) and being hot-boxed for the first time in this bad-boy's van.

did i smoke?  no way.  was i high out of my mind?  you betcha.

dropped off at home just in time to still use my work excuse, my sister was the first to greet me at the door.  smelling like trouble and giggling like a fiend, i was essentially carried upstairs by my "been-there, been grounded for that already" sister.  she threw me in the shower, washed off the herbal evidence, and hid me from my parents for the rest of the night.

i still really appreciate that.

there are times when i take her for granted.  if you have siblings, you know what i mean.  you live in your own world and forget about the people who best understand the foundations of your life.  friends, boyfriends, work, and playtime take priority.

i think this is natural.  breaking out onto your own road of life, figuring out who you are and loosing the grip of a family which may have had other plans for you.

it's also an incredible feeling to remember the joy, the shit, and the adventures you've shared.  the ones who have absolutely known you the longest.  the siblings who will love you even if you're a selfish, distant smart-ass.

she's still kicking my butt getting to life milestones.  she got married before i'm even engaged, and i'm sure will start a family before i'm married.  she's clearly the trend-setter of our relationship.  i learn from her successes, i learn from her mistakes, and i'm totally o.k. with that.

i love my sister.