Joy of Love: My Sisters

This month, after some inspiration from another blogger/photographer Elizabeth Hall, I am going to focus on the people I love. It's the month of Valentine's Day so why not share the love all month. Today, I choose my sisters. I have two and I'm the middle one. I've always been the glue of the three of us. I aim to please and just want everyone to be happy. We've had our moments. Some of us were tormented by another more than others growing up (not mentioning any names...) and some of us had more ballet skirts than others (again, not mentioning any names...) but at the end of the day there is a special bond between sisters regardless of any conflicts that come along the way. What fun would it be if we were exactly the same anyway? It's hard to figure out where to begin with these two. There is an eight year difference between the two of them and they are as unsimilar as they are similar. We have shared so many wonderful memories and traditions together. I hope that my child(ren) are just as lucky to have an amazing childhood like we did. We are all who we are because of our wonderful parents. We share a love of many things - holidays, movies (the quotes and laugh attacks being some of the best parts) and family time to name a few. My sisters are both amazing in their own way and I am so very, very blessed to have them both and am forever grateful for all of the wonderful experiences and memories I have shared with both of them. Lindsay (Linner, Linny, Luda): The youngest. God love her for being the youngest, the princess, the one who got away with more - ha! She's artistic and has little fear. She's beautiful. She's searching for her place in this world. She's young and eager. She's a phenomenal dancer, choreographer and photographer (http://www.lksphotography.net/). Luckily, I am blessed that she documented much of Mia's first year through her brilliant photography. She's a visionary. She's focused. She's a wife and a great cook. She's my best friend and she's always up for a good time. She loves to throw parties and comes up with really fun themes (it's too bad I miss most of them). I envy her artistic traits. I missed the boat on that some how. I have my moments, but Linny has a strong visual sense that I do not. Whether it be in her dance, her photos or her food, she always finds a way to make it all come together just perfect. Unfortunately we don't get to see each other as much as I would like, but hopefully that will change in time (with children most likely, ahem, no pressure). Shannon (Shanny, Janet): The oldest. God love her for having to set the precedent for the rest of us. She's crafty and a phenomenal cook. Again, not sure how I missed the boat on the cooking thing. Seriously. She makes some of the best meals and some of the most creative cakes and other culinary concoctions. She has a great style both in her decorating and her personality. You walk into her house and you feel like you stepped into Pottery Barn. She's a business woman (www.liasophia.com/shannonwheeler) and a mom (of two awesome girls)...and a wife. She's busy. She's my best friend. She's a good sounding board for a lot of my venting sessions. She's strong. She's fun. She loves wine just as much as me! She lives by me, which is a super bonus, but I still don't see her as much as I would like. To both of my sisters: You are wonderful and amazing and I probably have never told you how much you are appreciated. I am lucky to have you. Thank you for who you are and thank you for helping me be the person that I am today. With that I will be forever grateful. I look forward to all of the many, many more memories to come. With Love, Melly A sister is a gift to the heart, a friend to the spirit, a golden thread to the meaning of life.-- Isadora James