Five years does not seem like much, but when you are little, five years older seems much older. Of course when you are little all years seem so much older than your current year. When you are little you can never even fathom the idea that you will ever be as old as your mom or dad. When you are the last kid left in the house, just about to start your freshman year in high school and your sister has graduated and moved out of the house, five years seems like a pretty huge separation. But there was a time in our childhood where that gap in our age difference didn't seem so great. I was old enough to color and ride bikes and Janell hadn't yet reached those moody teenage girl years. We played in the sprinkler together. We climbed pasture fences to go fishing in local ponds. We rode our bikes all over the place and for the most part got along fairly well. I'm sure there were a few arguments here and there, but nothing that didn't end in laughter, like the time Janell threw a raw egg at me. There was a time I was Janell's secret keeper and she was my protector from school bus bullies. Actually...nothing's really changed. I am still Janell's secret keeper, just as I'm sure she'd still protect me from bullies. I was blessed with two sisters really. Katrina has done her fair share of protecting me from bullies and I believe I've been her secret keeper a time or two. She also took us to see The Jungle Book when Janell and I were that iffy sit through a whole movie age and always passed her worn out platform shoes our way to use as dress up shoes. She was the one you called to come pick you up from someplace when you didn't want mom to know you had been at that someplace. Even though she fell out of a different womb, the sister bond between us is no less than the sister bond between Janell and I. I know we would go to battle for each other and fight to the death.

When Talaura and I were looking at projects for this month's Donors Choose, we thought we should do something in honor of Misti's Meme. Meme passed away while attending her sister's memorial service over the weekend. Talaura found this project for Mrs. Silberkleit's class. She wants to buy Ramona Quimby, Age 8 for her class. Talaura and I both remember how the Ramona books dealt with sisters, being sisters and the special bond between sisters. So, we both agreed that this would be a nice way to honor's Misti's Meme. It is a common link that all of us (Meme, Misti, Talaura, and I) share. Those of you out there that also have a sister bond can understand just how special it is.

So today for Love Thursday I am honoring that sister bond. Tell your sister or sisters that they are important to you and that you love them.