Project Thankful - Black Friday



"Sisters. Sisters.  There were never such devoted sisters..."



Today is "Black Friday" and I have to tell you that, ever since we moved from Washington (state) to NC, that I have sort of been dreading the arrival of "Black Friday." And not because I'm some sort of "Black Friday" crazy shopper. But because, Thanksgiving and "Black Friday" make me miss my family. Especially, my sisters.

You see, every year (since we moved back to WA from our former duty station of Italy) John and I would make the drive up to the Seattle area for the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. Besides the obvious, giving of the thanks dinner gathering, one the highlights of the weekend for me was always "Black Friday." And it wasn't because of all the deals I was looking to score on the latest techy gadgets or TV's. It was because "Black Friday" gave me & my sisters the excuse to hang out at a ridiculous hour, laugh (mostly at the crazy shoppers & ourselves), make memories, shop, and eat WAY too many calories as we consumed our ritual Cinnabon cinnamon roll while sharing stories of the morning's crazy people watching events.

So today, I'm thankful for my sisters.



This is really not the best or most recent picture of us but it's going to have to do... 

Mames & Chach - not their real names, but that's how they're known in our family now thanks to my kiddos.  :) 

Mames is the hilariously funny, amazing storyteller, super-nanny, and fantastically talented photographer of a sister.  She's the middle of the 3 girls.  She is the "A" in the "ABC's" and our very own "Second Hand Rose."  Mames and I are only 15 months apart and growing up I felt like she was my total opposite and I know I did not appreciate her at all.  I was very good at being the bossy, know it all, older sister, consumed with all kinds of selfish "me-me-me" issues...  Now that we're older I'd like think (well, I tell people) that we're friends.  I call Mames when I have questions about child-rearing, potty training, discipline... (remember the super-nanny reference).  She makes me laugh.  She listens well.  She also tells it like it is and keeps us all in check.  Basically, she is amazing and I am so thankful that I can call her my sister.

Chach is the baby of the 3 girls.  She's the "C" in the "ABC's" and she is 4 years younger than me.  Chach is the "gifted" child out of the 3 of us.  She is the 6th grade teacher extraordinaire, crafty, energetic, logical (mostly), dance team coach my 5 year old idolizes, and soon to be Army wife sister.  And I know that since Chach and I are 4 years apart I did not appreciate her either.  Remember that whole being really good at playing the "older sister" role?!?!  (Shoot, I sound like I was an awful sister!)  Chach makes me laugh also.  She is the one who will always jump at the chance to get a coffee with me or who will help me with whatever crafty project I'm thinking of attempting.  Basically Chach is also amazing & I am so thankful to call her my sister.

Soon, Chach is going to enter the crazy and unpredictable life of being an active duty Army chaplain's wife.  I am hoping against hope that she and her hubs will be stationed wherever we are, because I want to be the one who helps welcome her into the sisterhood of being an Army wife.  It's not an easy life, but it's one that I am so proud to be a part of, and I can't wait to share that with her.

All that said, I'm grateful that both sisters have seemed to overlook the messiness and "not nice-ness" of our past & have chosen to love me for who I am & are now my friends...  Remember this girls?  "God made us sisters.  Love made us friends."  It's totally cheesy, but true.  :)

So, to Mames & Chach, I hope your "Black Fridays" were great & that you came home with lots of funny stories about the shopping or the parade.  I really missed you both today!  Hugs from North Carolina!