Sisters for Life

Growing up, I frequently received surprised looks and sympathetic words for my so-called “disadvantage” in life when people learned that I was an only child…..devoid of any siblings.

“You must get so lonely.” 

“Don’t you wish you had a brother or sister to play with?”

Those were phrases I grew quite accustomed to hearing. But I was always quick to respond to them with a confused look and the deliberate shaking of my head. Their concerns, while appreciated, simply didn’t make any sense to me. And they certainly weren’t any concern of mine.

I’m a strong believer in the phrase, “Family isn’t always blood.” And while my parents may not have given me any siblings, God had blessed me over the years with several individuals who have loved, supported, and taken care of me to such a profound extent that they’ve become indistinguishable from the family I’m bound to by blood.

In particular, God has been especially generous to me in blessing me with so many sisters to call my own. I’ve been thinking a lot lately about seven ladies in particular who have shaped my whole being and the way I see the world. 

 

 

I have to start with my very best friend since kindergarten…..Miss Jamie. Jamie and I met on the very first day of kindergarten at Four Georgians Elementary. Something between us just clicked. From learning our ABCs and building rock forts to twirling about in tutus and bombing around the mountains on four-wheelers, we’ve been building memories for roughly 25 years. Jamie is the only person whose phone call I’ll answer at 2 a.m. after she’s pitched all of her boyfriend’s clothes out the window.  She knows how important it is that I get my chocolate orange each year at Christmas and she’s definitely the only person who supported the over 3,000 wedding photos I demanded be taken. She can out-burp any boy, has the most contagious laugh and has more fearless ambition and drive than anyone I know. We got lost in the Nature Park together and walked several miles back to our cabin after burying our four-wheelers in a swamp. Together we’ve belted out Spice Girl melodies, played dress up, and taken hundreds of selfies before “selfies” was even a word. She’s been my biggest cheerleader, my partner in crime, and my sister for life. 

 

There’s my sister-in-law Maureen. Maureen is my opposite in nearly every respect, but that’s exactly why I consider her such a badass. I first met Maureen when she was still a little curly haired, brace faced middle schooler on my first trip to Arizona with my future husband. Over the last 10 years though I’ve watched her blossom into a radiant, fun-loving girl with more confidence and muscle strength than practically every other girl I know. She isn’t afraid of hard work, being the center of attention or out-playing the boys. She’s outspoken, tenacious and a natural born leader. I’ve got no doubt she will one day go on to be the next CEO of a major company…..either that or spend her days sailing the seas on a private yacht. 

 

Holly is my quieter sister-in-law but the one I have a feeling I’ll grow the closest to down the road. She shares the same natural “brave” hair as me, which is how I knew we were destined to be family. Holly is quiet and sweet but has a tinge of sass you definitely don’t want to mess with. She’s passionately driven and goal-oriented but knows how to squeeze in a bit of fun and laughter each day. She’s devoted to her family and friends and does her best to help everyone around her. I admire her passion for numbers and am grateful to have someone to finally explain all of that Shawshank money laundering to my curious mind. From the first day I met her 10 years ago to watching her walk up and accept her college diploma one month ago, I have been nothing but grateful to know her and am extremely proud that she’s now officially my sister.   

Tara is the random gorgeous girl who plopped down next to me at Starbucks one night and didn’t stop talking to me for at least two hours. She’s the only person who understands the life or death importance of getting mini donuts from the county fair each year. She loves baking even more than me and is the only person I could’ve recruited to make 200 cupcakes with me in a single baking session one afternoon. Tara is one of the most compassionate, supportive and loving people I’ve ever met. She’s devoted entirely to her faith, which is why I chose her as my Godmother for my baptism at 27 years old. And when you get her away from her kids for a night, she’ll surprisingly be the last one rocking the night away on the dance floor. Every minute with Tara is a special one.

 There’s Michaela. Now, I’ve lost track of exactly how many years Michaela and I have been friends….but I believe it all started one day in middle school when she sat down next to me in the cafeteria at lunch. Michaela is one of the rare individuals who has taught me to never give up on myself or anyone else for that matter. She’s my favorite pumpkin pie Blizzard loving, Pirates of the Caribbean watching, tennis warrior, Starbucks coffee date ever! And did I mention, that she’s also the only person in the universe who would study abroad in France for an entire year but still make time to dial the likely 46 digits necessary to reach Montana by phone to check in on me. 

 There’s also my cousin Samantha. Sam is my adventurous, free-spirited, Montana-girl-at-heart bestie who just so happened to also find her passion in life in writing. Sam was the one who helped me name the goldfish in my grandparents’ pond, practiced her fouettes next to me in ballet class, and has more personal style that Miss Carrie Bradshaw. She’s the only person who regards our family’s tradition of eating Chinese food on Christmas Eve as completely sacred. She can juggle raising two pigs for the fair while also rocking a sky-high pair of stilettos. And somehow she landed a dream job working at a classy resort in the Bahamas. I’m only slightly jealous.    

 

Then there’s Sarah. While not pictured in any of my wedding photos as one of my bridesmaids, she is most certainly one of my sisters. She’s simply the rebel pirate of the group who knew that the best seat at the wedding was several feet away from all the chaos and flashing cameras and several feet closer to the funfetti wedding cake. Sarah is my mermaid-loving, sushi eating, truck driving, sailor swearing, mean girl of a sister who once sat right at my side when we had one of the greatest office bitch show-downs of all time. My day simply wouldn’t be complete without one of her frantic, neurotic or complaining text messages…..or a cat picture or two.

These seven amazing women are not the only special ladies in my life but they are the ones who have stood with me through thick and thin. They’ve loved me when I’ve been unlovable. Had my back when everyone else turned away. Cheered me on through all my wild endeavors. Helped me eat more sushi, ice cream and chocolate than I care to think about, and just been an inspiration and blessing to me each and every day. 

I never felt like an only child growing up because I was surrounded by so many wonderful sisters. They are the strong, ambitious, gorgeous women that God delivered to me one by one because he knew they’d serve me better than any sister by blood. I am grateful for every one of their smiles, hugs, and laughs…..I am grateful they chose me just as much as I chose them.  

  

                                                                                               

A Lifetime of Service

Earlier today it was brought to my attention that a golden retriever by the name of “Bretagne” passed away at the ripe age of 16 years old. Having experienced my own loss of a family dog a mere six months ago, the news of any dog passing onto their next journey is heart-wrenching for me. But as the news about this dog’s death spread furiously across every major new station in the country today, I realized that her story touched not only my heart but the heart of millions of Americans.

Bretagne was not just any golden retriever….she was the last known surviving 9/11 search and rescue dog.

Bretagne and her owner, Denise Corliss, were fresh graduates from Disaster City, a search and rescue training center in College Station, Texas when they were deployed to New York shortly after the World Trade Center attacks in 2001. They joined hundreds of other search and rescue teams—including about 300 other dogs—sent from around the world to search for survivors at Ground Zero. They worked 12 hours a day for two straight weeks. 

After 9/11, Bretagne and Corliss were called to action at several other national disasters, including Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Ivan. Bretagne retired from her dedicated service call when she was about 10 years old. In her retirement, Bretagne helped with the training of other rescue dogs as well as became a fixture at a local elementary school’s reading program. 

While I am well aware that there are hundreds of dedicated and hard-working dogs bravely serving our country and its citizens every single day in an abundance of ways, it was the video that introduced Bretagne to me today that left a lasting impression. 

Suffering from kidney failure, the decision was made to put Bretagne down today at a local veterinary hospital in Texas. Bretagne walked into the hospital on her own down an aisle comprised of two dozen firefighters saluting her. After she passed, Bretagne was draped in an American flag and carried back out to a second round of salutes. Video of this loving tribute has rapidly been circulating worldwide throughout the day. 

I have learned that there are two distinct types of people in this world: the people who know, understand, and can’t live without the love of a dog……and those to whom a dog will always just be a pet. But regardless of the ranking you place on the furry four-legged animals, there is something about Bretagne’s story and how it commanded such respect and admiration up until the very end that you can’t help but appreciate it.

To every dog out there, whether it be a service dog, hunting companion or just that contagious smile that greets you at the end of every day…..thank you for your unconditional love, loyalty and dedication to every life you came upon.

And to every dog owner who has confronted the ruthless brevity of their best friend’s life, just know that they are waiting for us and will be reunited with us someday. But until then, let us all try to lead our lives with an ounce of the unconditional love and dedication that our dogs always showed us.