Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Emails from my Sisters



There are five girls in my family. My mom had to work pretty hard to give us each the gift of having four sisters. Why if she’d even stopped at an admirable eight children, those two older girls would be left as lone and miserable sisters, but as luck would have it, she pushed through (literally and figuratively I guess) and had three more girls. When we last three girls were small, the older two (Kathy and Amy) carted us around much like their own children – taking us for ice-cream or fries, taking us to get pictures taken, etc. And in turn, we spent enough of our youth tending their own little ones to practically be their under aged mothers. Now that we are all pretty well grown up, you’d hardly know there was ever the gap in ages (well, except that we younger three – Shannon, Nancy and Megan are OBVIOUSLY so much more in the prime of life – don’t worry, my sisters are all smart-alecs, and “when in Rome . . .”). We love to be together as much as possible along with our many other “sisters” who have married into the family.

I was looking through some old emails last night and found these that made me laugh. We’d been emailing back and forth nice things about one another – who was good at what, etc. Megan claimed that while I might be the one to claim best runner in the group (although Amy should perhaps be), she could have been the best biker. Here is a snippet from her email:

OOoo, I know what I could be best at. Mountain biking. Yes, I could be good at that. . . But then again, Nancy’s bike tire went flat. Maybe she would have passed me right, up. O' well its all speculation, I am taking it! Fastest biker!

The “flat tire” she referred to was the flat tire I received while participating in a biathlon with her and Amy. Amy went on to tell a little more of the “flat tire” story. It doesn’t portray me most favorably, but it is rather funny and perhaps even mostly true (though I'm sure I didn't curse!). . . I was very frustrated to have my race thrown so unexpectedly though. Here is Amy’s reply:

Meg you truly are a vision on a bike and I applaud you. But a little more to the flat tire story. I know I wasn't in a very good mood or in that good of shape come race day. But I seem to remember stopping to help the very frustrated Nancy who was wailing about her %$#@@ tire. I flagged someone down and got him to lend us a hand. It took about 15 minutes or more as I remember so we were pretty late coming in. As we got to the parking lot, I was apparently a little slow getting off my bike. Nancy, again knowing she was the fastest runner in the world, and knowing how behind she was, just looked at me and in exasperation said, "We'll are you going to run or what?" At that point I thought it prudent to tell her to go ahead, which she did and passed about 40 runners. Hoo Wee.

Now a little more from Amy just because she’s so funny (and so sweet):

Sometimes when I think about how lucky we are to have each other I almost want to cry. But of course having lost my ovaries (by the way has anyone seen them?) and being on a patch, I rarely cry. But I feel like crying! And on a serious note I realize that this sisterhood we have is a very, very rare gift from our Heavenly Father, as well as our parents who were willing to have # 9, 10 and 11, when eight children could have seemed more than plenty. Love you girls, Amy

I was actually going to put the comments Shannon made about me when we were emailing these nice things back and forth – not to show how great I am (and she did make me sound great), but to give you a glimpse at how incredibly complimentary and kind she is. I couldn’t do it in the end though because it was so dang nice I would feel like I was bragging just putting it on here! I will put a few pieces of it though . . . followed by my once again smart reply:

Nancy—. . . Such a good mom. So patient when her kids are whiney. So nice to me and cries with me when I am sad or something sad happens to me. . . . Can laugh laugh laugh. Just calls to see how I’m doing. . . . Doesn’t mind the smell of a cadaver that much . . . I love Nancy.


Ohh, if Shan just isn't the best! (You must be getting’ your cup all filled back up to be spillin' so much over to the rest of us). Really, I was just being goofy and then Shan writes the nicest stuff ever. Sigh, it feels really good when someone says specific nice things about you. Thanks Shoobs . . . ohh . . . except for me – “a good mom when my kids are whiny”??? Well, who knows, maybe I would be, but I can't be sure, you see, my kids don't whine. OH HOHO, HAHA HEE, HEEHEEHAW HAW!!

My sisters are also fun for when you want to brag a little. They are all about letting you brag and then praising you a bit more. Here are two emails from Kathy – one right before and one right after my last marathon:

I am on “pins and needles” to hear about the big results—ok really I am on a basically soft leather desk chair – but STILL, said prayers and hoping all went well.
Love,
Kath

NANCY, NANCY, NANCY…..WAY TO GO!!!!!! NUMBER 15 OF 750 LOSERS—I MEAN OTHER RUNNERS—AND BIG, FAT ATHENIAN AWARD!!!! I HAVE SHIVERS!!!! Truly I am so very, very happy for you. It is such a good feeling to accomplish a goal and stick with it—something I wouldn’t know much about- ha ha.

Lastly, here is an email from me to Megan that gives a little glimpse into how cool she is. She kept emailing me to take up drawing again and try her new sketching technique. Megan has five kids under eight, a spotless house and is always painting a room, sewing something, etc. Here was my reply to her request for me to get crackin’:

Ohhh I feel a stress coming upon me. Perhaps another day. Tata for now! Really, I have intended to, but neighbors were over while there kids played all morning. Then I had to take a nap and then fold laundry and now Mike is almost home to be with us for a few hours til he leaves out of town and then it will be dinner and family night and meanies to bed and then I can only draw if there is absolutely nothing on tv. So . . . we'll see. Heaven knows it won't happen tomorrow with 3 hours of "kindergarten testing" and then a young women's mtg. At least they have the mtgs. and my house so my kids can just watch tv instead of destroy someone elses home while I am supposed to be paying attention to my mtg. In the mean time, you have probably already learned a new language and how to play the guitar and the harp and are just finishing building an armoire.

Anyway, my friend Liz tells me to be grateful for having sisters and to be grateful that my little girls have sisters (especially good to remember when I am trying to do many little pony tails and not be late for church)! I do love my sisters though! I also love my eight trillion brothers, sister-in-laws, and brother-in-laws (along with all their little ones) on both Mike’s side and mine.

17 comments:

Welcome! said...

Oh I loved it and want to cry...how in the world did you keep all those comments??? I'm forever deleting things. The only sad thing is you stole a tiny bit of my thunder of a surprise I am doing about and for the sisters and when you see it you will see why you stole my thunder...oh but you are a good writer.....

Jana said...

And I'm sure that you meant, but just forgot, to add in brother-in-law's sisters....

Yeah, thought you did. You are so very lucky and blessed.

Troy emailed me a mapquest location map of where you live complete with address because I razzed him a good one about being a dumb man child. So. He knows where you live and so do I. Be afraid now.

Nancy said...

Jana, Yes, I did mean to add brother-in-law's sisters, and in-fact, when you said that, it occurred to me that I actually do know some of my brother-in-law's sisters quite well, so we pretty much are relatives now.

Also, I just emailed Troy to ask where you live. SO now we are even.
(Feel free to drive on up for a visit now that you have full directions -- oh great I said, "drive on UP" now I have given away that I live somewhere in the northern half of our country to stalkers! Dang!)

Oh, and Kathy, sorry to steal your thunder -- I can't wait to see what on earth you are talking about!!

Perla said...

what a nice post, nank. we are so lucky to have each other for best friends, along with all of the sisters-in-law and nieces and sisters of sisters' brothers-in-law. cool that you kept all of those e-mails!

The San Diego Mills said...

What cool e-mails those are! You have some cute sisters for sure. I think it's great when you become an adult and can appreciate your sisters, instead of despising them for stealing your clothes or having them ignore you because you're just a lowly freshman in high school and they're a senior. (Not speaking of anyone in particular there, of course, ahem...Jess!) Seriously though, I have come to love an appreciate my sisters so very much more as an adult!

Anonymous said...

So nice that you have that kind of relationship - someone to laugh, cry, and be silly with. Do you accept adopted sisters? ;) Stinks to be on the outside lookin' in. (Picture a lonely ragged little girl - with big doe eyes - peeking in through your childhood home - on a snowy holiday night when you 5 sisters were singing "Santa got ran over by a reindeer" while having a pillow fight and enjoying hot chocolate - that's me - lonely and crying - shivering from the lack of sisterly affection - boo hoo! - I so could have nailed the reindeer chorus! ha!)

Mugsy said...

Well that was about the funnest reading! But I demand you put the sketch of Daisy up right now!!! You are the best artist you know. And you did it in about ten seconds. POst the sketch!!
Funny post though Nan, I loved it...and I love you!

Mugsy said...

O, and, I think I love MArzee...

Anonymous said...

Nancy: Where have I been? I started reading through your blogs and now its been about an hour. I love everything you have written. Please hurry and get it in a book (the kind Meg says you can have printed of your blog) before some horrible computer crash occurs. Thanks for all the nice things you said. You are amazing!!!

Anonymous said...

I know I should have been mostly laughing through this blog and I was, but it was through tears streaming down my face! I'm still a little jealous of your sisterhood, but I'm glad you really appreciate them and enjoy them because you do deserve them! (In a nice way of course). By the way please never stop your blog. I love it far too much to live without. Oh, and as someone who longs to be a good artist, and has witnessed your earlier art days, I want to see some of your recent drawings pronto! Liz

Nancy said...

Geez, thanks all for the nice compliments. Liz, thanks especially for saying such nice stuff about my blog as sometimes I fear I type stuff that is a little too dumb. I love your guts!

Also, Marzee, yes, we love to adopt in. In fact, we always are trying to proclaim someone as a newly adopted sister even when they probably don't want to be . . . so, you know, as long as you are willing to put up with loads of loud talk and loud laughter (how else could we get a word in with so many siblings), you are in. . . .besides I don't like the sad cold girl out on Christmas eve image. Too sad.

jami v. said...

nancy-i swear i posted a comment this morning, but hmmm it's not here. must have been those letters messing me up again! :)

i love your sisters post - i have three sisters of my own and count myself as lucky as you do ... :) nothing quite like them... :)

Gracie J said...

I still say that the house on Polk's end is like a little Celestial Kingdom all it's own with all those cute sisters saying funny things and of course Gigglomaniacs making pancakes or chocolate gluck and giggling late into the night. Megan is a good runner too, only she'll get way too sad if I say what kind and my sister Melissa is right...I never wanted to hang out with my sisters when I was a teenager, but now I love them ever-so and would hang out with them every day if I could. If you've stopped drawering, you really should start again. You were always the best artist in Cap'n Colton's class, even if you were late every day and dropped out of A.P. Art our Senior year.

Lover of Sweets said...

Awesome Nancy! I loved the post and all the great pictures of you beautiful women. So so glad to have you all in my life!

Nancy said...

Dang, Jessica, you weren't supposed to tell people about how I'm a quitter!!

Gracie J said...

My favorite thing ever is still the list of 100 reasons why we were late. I wish I had kept that somewhere. It would bring me a great deal of joy. I'm more sad that you sort of dropped out of art to hang out with the dumb science fair boy who only wanted to have science fair girlfriends who lived in Indiana. I'm pretty sure he was doing bad, bad things with that science fair girl. I suppose it's for the best that he broke up with you even when you weren't "going out" (idiot).

Nancy said...

Oh Jessica!! If you only knew!! I was just barley typing a post and mentioned the 100 reasons for being late list!! I'll post it soon!

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...