I‘ve met so many wonderful people in my thirty-three years on this earth. I’ve made many acquaintances, school friends, camp buddies, coworkers, internet pals, you name it. I have many girlfriends whom I’ve known since I was just a little girl, and friends that Chris and I have had for years and still hang out with every weekend ~ now with our own kids in tow. I’ve met lots of sweet new moms from the Kindergarten and Preschool circuits, and I hope that I always continue to make friends easily. But I consider myself an exceptionally lucky woman…. you see, I’ve had two “built in friends” for most of my years: my sisters, whom I consider my lifelong blessings.
Amy, Trish and I shared toys, we shared stories, we even shared clothes for quite a while. We shared rooms, with only a three-bedroom house, and two of us always shared a full-size bed at some point. Some of my favorite childhood memories are of us holding hands and skipping from our house, past the vegetable garden, to our grandparents’ house next door.
Yep, there are three of us. We are each two-and-a-half years apart from one another. (That meant that we usually had enough in common to play well together through our many stages, and weren’t separated by too many years that we ever truly despised each other at any point!) However, we didn’t always get along perfectly ~ in fact, if Mom noticed two of us continually bickering, she had the perfect solution… she made us share a room. We would HAVE to get along during the day if we had to share that darn bed every night! And at one point or another, every sister shared a room with another. And we even ended up enjoying it after all.
When I moved away at nineteen, I was excited, happy and anxious at what awaited me in my sure-to-be-bright future. But I could hardly bear being away from my sisters. I would sob at night for them. My baby sister (with whom I shared the room last) had to stuff a pillow behind her back every night for months just to sleep ~ she was so used to me being there instead. And I did the same thing. We called each other daily. I made the 350-mile trip home at least 2-4 times a month, and although we didn’t get to see each other as often (and still don’t), we have never grown apart for a second. I love that. We’ve seen each other through boyfriends and breakups, graduations and birthday parties, three weddings, six babies, countless moves, and more highs and lows than I could ever count. Even though we don’t see eye-to-eye on all things, we always, ALWAYS, see heart-to-heart. And that’s all that matters when you get down to it, really.
Stacey, Trish and Amy circa 2003
I’d love to hear your special stories about your own best friends… whether it be a friend, a sibling, your mother, or any other amazing person who has filled that “best friend” space in your heart.
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
Thanks for sharing your story Stacey! I am the oldest of 4. I have two sisters and a brother. My sisters & I are all 2 years apart & my brother came along when I was 12. We have always shared a special bond. Something only sisters know. Our little brother has always shared a special bond with us too. Since I was 12 when he was born, it was like having a live doll for us to play with. I can never remember a time when he got on our nerves or bugged us like you hear about the typical little brother. We would take him to the movies when we were teenagers & all of our friends loved him. My sisters both have children and now share a different kind of bond that I can’t wait to share with them very soon.
As an only child I’ve had many girlfriends/cousins that have filled that ’sister’ place in my life – but my bestiest bestie I met my first day on my college campus. We met at Theater camp because we were both on scholarship in the Theater department (and later we found we were both in choir as well) and we were the 2 most outgoing gals at the welcome BBQ – so we naturally gravitated to each other. We found that our birthdays were just one day apart so that just helped solidify our bosom buddy status for the remainder of our college days and beyond! Even though she was a full 5 inches taller than me we were able to share a good amount of clothing when we started rooming together and due to my crazy genes which provides strangely large feet for my height we shared her wonderful shoe supply as well! She was the maid of honor in our wedding and I stood beside her as she married just a few years ago. Though her new husband took her away to live down under in Australia, we still talk at least once a month thanks to the wonder of SKYPE!! Best invention ever!!
I just love this, what a gorgeous photo of the three of you!
My sisters are 10 & 12 yrs younger than I, but now that they are both in highschool, I have found a new and fabulous trait in them… friend. They are both very different and unique from one another – but I find something valuable and priceless in the relationships I share with them. After 6 yrs of them living 3000 miles away, they now live 30 seconds away. What a gift it is to get to be apart of their lives as they slowly enter into this world… as adults.
What a lovely reminder Stacey – thank you!
Such a great story! I love to hear about sisters, since I only have brothers. :) But I was lucky enough to become besties with Nikki at the beginning of high school, and through her became friends with her younger sister Katie, who should really be her twin. We are each a year apart from each other, call each other’s parents mom and dad, and talk constantly. I can’t imagine life without them! They shine light into my life that I didn’t know I was missing before them. I never truly had a heart-to-heart best friend before then – or as we like to call each other, “hetero life partners”. :) Here’s one of my fave shots of them: http://www.flickr.com/photos/trudem/3349662117/in/set-72157603019155125/
I only have one sister and she is incredible! She is 12 yrs. my junior and as you may recall just had a baby in November. The large gap in our ages made it difficult for us to be friends, but now as we share marriage and motherhood we have a new bond. She is very encouraging and always inspires me to be a better person. ( To my lil’ sis: I love you, Danielle!! :)
I have also been very blessed through each stage of my life to have good friends, but its now in my late 20’s that I’m sure these will be the best I’ve ever had and will have. Elisha, Lindsay, Brooke and myself, all came together in a small womens group that was for young marrieds. We grew as wives and friends through this group. When God called Brooke’s husband Dave to move his youth ministry career to Florida I thought life was over – at least concerning my friendships. Brooke was the glue that held us together. She was the fun spontaneous one. She planned all our get togethers and they were always over the top. Even if it was a last minute card night with munchies. Her fire cracker persoanlity and beautiful exterior could draw anyone in. I’ll admit that in the past 2 years of Brooke’s absence the remaining 3 of us in Ohio (Lindsay, Elisha and myself) have let ourselves grow apart. I’m not proclaiming anything new here, but life just gets in the way! Work, babies and zero free time can ware on any relationship. At the end of 2009, after a wonderful Holiday visit with Brooke, her husband and new baby girl Jada, the idea of creating a blog for keeping our friendship connected emerged. In January alone the 4 of us posted 27 times with some kind of an update! I think I’ve learned more about each of their lives than I have in the past 2 years combined. It literally has saved our friendships as a group. I always look forward to checking the blog for updates and especially for pictures of the babies! And the occasional cyber scrabble game is good for the old competitive nature we each have!
Love this. Even though it made me cry. Some of my best memories were sitting up late at night talking to you until I fell asleep. And while the pillow behind my back let me imagine you were there, it never did keep me warm or talk back. I missed you so much when you moved away. And I still do. I love you, big sister. {{hug}}
I am also one of three sisters, each less than 18 months apart. They were my best friends growing up, but we didn\’t nurture those relationships in the same way, and now have drifted apart through strife and pain.
Your story makes me sad for what could be, but happy that three women have found what I have longed for for so long, and happy to know it\’s possible.
A sister is a forever friend. -Anon
i am the baby girl with 2 big brothers . . . i remember begging to my mom for a sister. and well . . . i never got one! but god did give me 3 daughters . . . the first 2 are 20 months apart and the second and third are 14 months apart. i loved reading this . . . i pray my girls will stay as close as they are now as they grow up. they now have a baby brother . . . and always include him in everything and love him to pieces.
what a great read! thanks for sharing!