Day 5: My sibling

I only have sibling - an older sister (she's 4 years older, but you could probably never tell because she's tiny). Her name is Brandi, and she is basically the antithesis of me. We're both short (though she has me beat at about 4'10"-4'11". She may claim 5', but don't for a second believe it), and we sound a lot alike on the phone. Other than that, though, we're just not that much alike.

The smile on Brandi's face makes me think she might be responsible for the frown on mine.

Growing up, Brandi was always the more outgoing, creative, and pretty one. I was the well-behaved, "smart" one. In actuality, Brandi is probably twice as smart as I am, she just found a few different outlets for her smarts - such as not getting caught in her mischief. She also told me that because I started out making good grades, I ruined it for myself. See, she had it all figured out that if you consistently make bad grades, no one expects too much, and you won't disappoint. She proved it to be true when she barely passed Trig (not for lack of smarts - she just didn't like it) and got an awesome graduation party because my parents were so happy that she graduated! See how smart she really is?!

I think someone should have clued me in that her chair was not built for the likes of my chubby little self. To this day, I hate being in the same picture as Brandi because the comparison ALWAYS made me look bigger than I really was.

Like all of us, Brandi's had her ups and downs, but she always came out of them with more determination and confidence than I've ever seen. We've had times we've been super close and times where we would go months without talking to each other. She's currently in Texas with her handsome family, working at a church, and looking to go back to school in Spring.

Brandi, her husband Byran, and her son Josh

This is my sister, and despite all the quarrels, "borrowed" clothes, and competitions that we kept going throughout our lives, I will forever love her and do anything in the world for her because she is the one who God gave me to share my life from the moment I was born until my life ends. We share the same parents, the same genetics (even the crazy ones), many of the same life experiences, and the same love for family. Plus, she's one of the only people in the world who can make me feel tall.