my brother from another mother

i don't have any brothers or sisters.  well, i guess that's not "technically true."  i do have a couple of step sisters and a step brother that belonged to my dad before he and my mom were married.  but they are 20+ years older than i am and were long out of the house by the time my parents got together.  i barely know them - we aren't close and don't ever talk.  sad, really.  

that said; i always wanted a sister.  you know - the kind that always wants to hang out with you, trade clothes and shoes and do hair and make-up together.  really even the kind that your mom makes you let hang with you and your friends.  but - that just never came for me.  i was my parent's only child.

fast forward 25 years and meet my sister-in-law jennifer (and family) :).  oh yes i did.

she is awesome and i adore her.  she's everything that i want to be.  she is smart, funny, kind and a woman of very strong faith.  straight up someone who attracts people.  she's the kind of person who lights up a room.  you want to be where she is because she is just fun.  she's older (translate - much cooler) than i am and instead of having the little sister who steals your clothes and friends - i became her.

j befriended me without hesitation even though i was awkward (imagine that... bwahahaha).  i came into her life as her husband's brother's girlfriend.  my in at that time is that i'm really good with kids.  so good that i became attached to her kids (now my neice and nephews) before i attached to her.  they were easy.  lots of candy and lovin and i was in like flynn.  

j and her husband, my super-brother-in-law, saved what little faith i had left in 2008.  things just weren't going according to MY plan at that time in my life and i was angry at God.  in fact - i didn't give a crap about much of anything.  i had been watching my dad succumb to a very rare, deadly cancer.  my stout, 250 lb dad had weathered down to a mere 85 lbs and it was horrifying.  i just couldn't believe that God would allow him to go through this - or me to watch it happen.  j invited me on a retreat weekend with a bunch of crazies that changed my life completely.  (sidenote:  i use the term "crazies" in a very loving way.  these are the kind of people who walk around singing at 5 am wearing 25lb shirts full of buttons and pins).  God wanted me there - and i went.  i left he weekend feeling alive.  my dad died two days after i returned and after the most meaningful talk we've ever had on my way home from this weekend, i was ready.

that was two years ago.  today i would have to say that second to my husband my sweet sis(in-law, but who cares about that right?) is one of my besties.  my brotha' from anotha' motha. :)  or sister, but whatever.  i feel as though i can tell her anything and she doesn't judge me.  and that is awesome.  there aren't many people in this world that i feel as comfortable with as her.  


so today - i thank her.  out loud, on the interwebz.  and praise God for her and her family.  i am so blessed by them there are no words to describe how much they've done in our lives.  i give the glory and the gratitude to God for them.