Sisters

Our daughters are just nine and a half months apart in age.  The “are they twins” or “are they sisters” questions are asked frequently as we move through life.  The twins question is quickly answered with no, an emphatic “NO” if one of the sisters is the answering party. The sisters question can be a bit more sticky.  An emphatic “YES” sometimes satisfies the asker but often a curiosity about their DNA linkage leads to follow ups.  Depending on the day and situation, we navigate that one in different ways.  Generally the message I desire to impart is – yes, they are sisters in all meaningful ways.  But there are days when I would prefer to say MYOB.

Adopted 13 months apart – an overachieving adoptive parent move that I wouldn’t recommend, yet thank God for nonetheless – they have lived in family together for eight plus years.  My all time favorite photograph of them was taken within days of their first introduction.

It is hard to communicate how precisely this picture reflects much about their relationship.  Trust me, it does.  But taken four months later, this tells the story of another side of their sisterly bond.

Many days have been spent in dress up and dancing together, 

even though one isn’t all that into dance.

They found scissors and played hairdresser – this photo was taken after Mom shed some tears and Ms. Ruth did her best to make it right.

Butting heads and competing in everything from card games to sports to finding Easter eggs fill our days.

They run through fields,

explore the world 

and release butterflies in tandem.

Encouraging notes and thoughtful gift giving are entering the sister scene.

And we all enjoyed a recent re-enactment of the original “I’m not at all sure I want to be your sister” photo.

Their temperaments and personalities are about as polar opposite as one can imagine.  In life choices and expressions, they walk shared as well as divergent paths.  In living together, they are learning to respect differences as well as creating sister connections.

I have not known the complex experience of living in family with a sister.  I got a taste of sisterly life spending many an hour, day and night with dear neighbors whose home was vibrant and alive with three sisters.  As an adult, it would be something I imagine that could enrich life.   I know that I won’t experience life as sister, yet it is a great adventure to live life smack in the middle of day to day sisterhood living.

Credit Chrisi Standley Photography for the “red silk” photos.