My sister and I spent last week together. There was an undescribable joy when she arrived and an even deeper, undescribable sadness when she left.

Last week was the first time in two years that we spent time together. She lives half way around the world. It’s expensive and time consuming to visit each other. We call and email and Skype, but it is not the same.

• Last week was light.
• Last week was bonding.
• Last week was silly and fun.
• Last week was loving.
• Last week was motivating.
• Last week was reminiscent.

I am not sure if my sister and I would have found each other if we weren’t sisters. I don’t know if we would have been friends. I think God gave her to me, gave us to each other.

6 Things I remember about growing up with her.

1. She was the adventurous one.
2. The line in the car that we couldn’t cross on the way to Florida.
3. Crying so hard watching Terms of Endearment together that the couch shook.
4. She spoiled every surprise because she was too excited to keep a secret.
5. She was too emotional to say goodbye when I left for college, so she made me a cassette tape…and got choked up on tape.
6. Laughing so hard in restaurants that we couldn’t order food. (that happened this trip too but now that we are grown ups, we didn’t start laughing until after we ordered)

We couldn’t be more different. When I told her about Project 333, she said, “I am thinking about it, but I’d need 32 purses and a pair of jeans.”

Today, I would choose her as my friend. I do choose her as my friend.

While I am so blessed to have Alyson as my sister, family is not always about the blood that runs through your veins. Maybe I was given to you and you were given to me. Maybe you would choose me as your friend, as your family.

I know that I choose you. Some of us have never met, but we choose to spend time with each other. This blog has become my home and you have become my family. That means you are stuck with me (and my sister).