My very Best Friend

My husband and I have never been big valentine celebrators. I usually make something heart-shaped either for supper or dessert, but that's about it. The first two years we were together I helped him move. Yup, two years in a row! I think that's when he knew I'd stick with him through anything. (In his defence he made up for it later. In June, but he still made up for it.)

So, today, as much as I love my husband and my kids, I think I talk about them too much as it is and so instead, I'm going to break the rules and spend today talking about someone else that I love. It's my blog. I can break the rules if I want.

I'd like to introduce you to my very best friend in the whole world. My sister:

(she's totally going to hate me for putting this picture up, but it's the most recent one I have. And since we were 7 and 8 months pregnant in it, I can honestly say that we are both much, much thinner now. Ha, well, maybe not much, but thinner)

Now, some people would say that Mark is supposed to be my very best friend, but he's only known me for 7 years and Jen has known me for nearly 28. And she's willing to tell me if I look fat in a certain pair of pants, so you know what? She gets to beat him out in that category. And since he doesn't ever want to be asked if "these pants make my butt look big" I think he's okay with that.

Jen is my older sister. 3 years old to be exact. I spent my life wanting to be just like her, which is good because I also spent my life in her hand-me-downs. We did everything together (well except for a couple years in there where she teamed up with our older brother, but she came around).

We shared a room for the first 10 years of my life (and were roomies in college) and though we fought ALL. THE. TIME. (she was clean, I was messy. Tape lines had to be brought in to create some peace) I like to think that it was these years in such close quarters that made us such good friends. We have the sort of relationship that we can talk about anything. And I know she'll always be truthful with me. So I ask her opinion about everything. She's the one I go to for any and all advice and her opinions weigh pretty heavy (except this week she told me the font I used on an invitation wasn't so great, but Mark and I both liked it so we countered her vote). She's the best person to shop with (we like all the same stores), to make snacks with (we like all the same foods), to watch movies with (we like all the same movies). Basically, she's great.

Tragically Jen was taken from me nearly 2 years ago. Don't worry, she didn't die. She just moved from the same city as me to another Province and instead of seeing her all the time, we are now relinquished to near-daily phone conversations and ridiculously long Facebook messages.

Here's a glimpse of some of the things we talk about (paraphrased of course):

-Did you see the blog with that cute craft/yummy recipe/awesome tutorial/funny story?

-Seriously, my kid kept me up all night/my kid peed all over the floor 4 times today/my kid ate all the valentine chocolates/my kid no longer wants to sleep (wait, those were all just me)

-"I think I want to paint/redo/tear out/reupholster _______ this week. Or you know, sometime." (me) "I painted/redid/tore our/reupholstered ______ this week" (her)

-I have nothing to wear. Wanna go shopping? You should come see me.

And a lot of other nothing-type stuff. That's why I love her. She totally doesn't mind if I call her 8 times in the same day with stupid questions like "what should I make for supper?" or "Do you remember the name of so-and-so's sister?" (I'm sure I sometimes get annoying to her husband as he now just picks up the phone and upon realizing its me immediately gets Jen. I told him once that if I was truly annoying he could just move them all back here and then we could hang out and I wouldn't have to call so much. He hasn't complained once. I have such wicked negotiating skills).

I also like that Jen and I get to be Mom's together. She has a little boy a year older than Mady and a little girl 5 weeks older than Kate. Its nice that we're in the same stage of life because I can tell her how much I don't enjoy baby spit and such and she totally gets it. I think everyone needs a sister.

Our kids: Jen's and then mine

In our teen years we would spend Valentine's Day together waiting for some boy who was secretly in love with us to send us flowers. It never happened. At least we had each other.

And as much as I would have been thrilled to have a boy, I'm even more thrilled that Kaitlyn was a girl because this means that my girls can have a built in best friend like me. And I tell them that they're best friends. I figure this way it removes any doubt.

Love you, Jen! Come visit me!!

ps- Did Dan get you flowers? ;)