gratitude challenge day 8

Before this day even really begins, I know what I am thankful for. Because today is my sister's birthday, so it makes perfect sense to use today to appreciate her presence in my life.

Being sisters is a love-hate thing. That fact, which I know well from my own experience, is confirmed for me every day in the lives of my own 2 girls. I often tell my girls that I know it can be frustrating to have a sister but that someday they will be thankful for each other and be each other's best friends. This comment is usually met by a lot of eye rolling. But they can't deny the fact that my sister and I are, for the most part, good friends, and we travelled a pretty rocky road to get to this place.

My sister is not at all like me, and the differences were even more stark during our teenage and young adult years. But time and maturity has smoothed over a lot of the rough places, and we have learned the value of just being honest with each other and appreciating the fact that we see many things differently but we have much in common too.

So happy birthday to my sister, the girl who knows more about me than any other woman on the face of the earth -- and loves me anyway.