For My Sister

The single greatest blessing in my life has been having a sister that is also my best friend.  It is hard to put into words the incredible relationship I have with my sister.  It's having a best friend that you never tire of.  I often feel bad for girls who have never experienced the joy and love of having a sister.  For those girls, I hope someday they have a sister-in-law who will be the sister they never had.
My sister and I were always the best of friends growing up.  The day my Mom told her she would have a little sister, she literally couldn't wait for me to get here so we could play together.  Play we did, all the time.  Barbies, dolls, house, tea parties, we did it all.  We built forts in our rooms, and made up dances and sang karaoke.  It was like having a best friend around 24/7.
As we grew up, we only grew closer.  We never excluded each other.  We always shared everything.  I remember the sadness I felt when I moved off to college and realized that I didn't have two closets to choose from anymore.  She understands me better than anyone else.  We never get on each other's nerves, she's the only person I can be around all day and not tire of.
She has an incredible voice.  It's beautiful.  She always had the voice, and I played the piano.  A perfect duet.
When I competed in pageants, my sister was the ultimate backstage helper.  She knew all the ins and outs of the pageant world.  She was the perfect makeup artist, personal assistant, and supporter.  She was at every.  single. pageant.  Oh, and did I mention that she hates them?  She does.
I always loved the fact that we look so much alike.  It was almost like having a twin.  We sound identical, even our Mom can't tell us apart on the phone.  My sister is the only person who understands what I mean when I say that Mom is driving me crazy (ha, I love you Mom).
Several years ago, we had a scare.  The doctors thought my sister had cancer.  It scared me to death.  Losing her would be like losing a piece of myself.  Thankfully, she didn't and I've never taken that for granted since.
We talk to each other every day.  We send pictures back and forth.  We share recipes, ideas, plans, hopes, dreams.  She's there every time my heart is broken, and I won't date a guy if she doesn't like him.  Now that she has a daughter of her own, the bond we share is incredible.  I love little Heelyn as if she were my very own.
Kyle (My sister's boyfriend) is used to me always being invited to every dinner, concert, or movie night. My sister is the main reason why I'm a bit restless where I'm at now, it's not life without sharing every aspect of it with her.
For those of you who have a sister, be thankful to experience a relationship unlike any other.  Those who do not, it's my hope that you have a friend who is like a sister.  Every girl needs at least one.