DAY 26 - Haleigh

What's Going Down: The Last Person I Made a Pinky Promise To

Dearest Haleigh,

Even though you can be the most annoying person I have ever beheld, I love you. I really do. And I am really grateful I've gotten better at that these past few years.

Can I just say some things that are awesome:
- Dancing and singing in the car together
- Driving you places
- Eating our vitamins together
- Talking about high school together
- Eating dinner that you made
- Emptying the dishwasher for Mom together
- Hearing you answer questions and realized that you've grown up.

I hope you can see that I've been trying to become a better sister. Because you're hilarious, and I love you. Even when you're ridiculous.

Love Always,
Hilary

P.S. And you better be keeping that pinky promise we made! I've heard you're doing all right. =)

DAY 4 - Jaime

Official Topic: Your Sibling or Closest Relative
My Take: One of My Fabulous Sisters

I have 3 sisters. I will be speaking on my youngest sister later in this monthly challenge, and my closest sister in age is just so awesome I can't find a challenge category to contain her. Jaime, who is 4 1/2 years older than me, is my oldest sister.

Dear Jaime,

When I was growing up I thought you were really weird. The only three things I really remember from when we lived at home together is once when I was little, I was really angry at you and Megan, so I wrote on a piece of paper, "You are DUMB!!!" and slipped it under your door. Except I spelled "dumb" as "dom." And so when you guys read it you busted up laughing and I was just even angrier. And then you made fun of me for it for the rest of my life (so far).

Number two is one night I was allowed to sleep over in yours and Megan's room. You both were in your loft beds, but you made me stay up really late just listening to you and Megan say some phrase so I could guess which one of you was saying it. Because someone said you guys sounded alike. But I got it right every time. Also a different time I spent the night in your room you told me that if a nightlight didn't have a cover/shade over it, it would explode and burn up the whole house.

Third thing is that one time you sat on the living room floor and read Wikipedia articles out loud about people who ate human feces. And you thought it was really funny, especially when I asked you to stop because it was disgusting. (Okay, that's the last time I tell that story, I promise.)

But I have learned that even though you enjoy making fun of me and making me uncomfortable, it is not out of spite or dislike like I once imagined. You just have a different sense of humor than I. And even though you and your fiance are weird sometimes, I'm truly glad you found someone after your own heart.

Watching you throughout the years has taught me a lot about relationships and what I should and should not expect in my own future spouse. I have also grown to respect your enthusiasm and envy your ability to talk to anyone. Overall you have been a great example to me, and have been patient with me as I have learned to respect you. Thanks for putting up with me all these years, Jaime. I'm so glad I can come to your wedding in October!!

Love,
Hilary

Big Sister

Today, I made something to help Haleigh. Mom came in after Haleigh told her about it and hugged me and said, "Thank you for being such a good big sister."

Honestly, I've never really thought of myself as a big sister, much less a good one. The big sisters in our family were always Jaime and Megan, and Haleigh and I are the little sisters. But things have been very different without the "big sisters" home anymore, and I've grown to be very grateful that I wasn't the oldest (I'm not firstborn material).

And honestly, for the vast majority of my life, I was awful to Haleigh. We fought all the time. I always had to get the last word in. I had to comment after everything she did that I thought was ridiculous (which was most things). She was so different than me I didn't want to be associated with her.

I've been working on it though. And I think we've both grown up the past few years. I wanted to do something to help Haleigh because I actually sat down and talked to Mom about her yesterday. She has a harder life than I knew, and I can be a big part in making it better for her.

So I'm trying. It's hard, sometimes she still disgusts me or just plucks my every nerve, but I love her. And I want to keep on being a good big sister for her. She's my only little sister.

Day 5 - An Old Pair

My sister & I have been going to the gym every Saturday morning for the last month or so, but I didn't bring any real tennis shoes from home with me because I haven't really had any since gym 10th grade year. So she let me borrow these indefinitely, which actually used to be mine back in middle school... Lorraine had the exact same pair.

Day 4 - Read a Good Book

My sister and I stopped up at the Bookstore Book Sale before our weekly luncheon & Stats homework session. We went to get books for our sister's birthday, but I ended up buying these 4 for myself. We did get a copy of all the Narnia books for our sister, though, and a pocket copy of Pride and Prejudice (like mine, on top) for our mom.

Golly, This World is Small

#1. Me --> Rachel, whom l I met looking at the map of the ESC to find our PS100 Lab Room --> Kylee, a girl in Rachel's ward also randomly taking our same lab --> both Rachel and Kaylee live in Chipman --> Kylee's roommate is from Virginia, too --> Kylee's roommate ends up being the girl from my old stake I see around here all the time. SO WEIRD.

#2. Me --> taking Stats 221 with my sister, Megan --> one of Megan's friends, Lydia also signs up for the class --> I meet Lydia on Monday, her first day of class --> today in my Hist 202 class I see someone that looks like Lydia turning in our paper --> it's Lydia. SO INSANE!