Be All There: The Glad Game

I have two sisters and they are my best friends.

The problem is that we live in three different states...CA, IL, and TN.

While not living near my sisters is a constant ache of my heart I have learned to see the positives in living far away from each other. Pollyanna would call it "the glad game" - finding something to be glad about in every situation.

For example, I am glad that when I see my sisters I get to see them for days at a time. I get to host them in my home, and be hosted in theirs. I get to be with them, their amazing husbands, and their fabulous children 24/7. It wouldn't be like that if we all lived in the same area. See...the glad game.

Katie, Lars, Quinten (5), and Albin (3) came to visit this past week (from Chicago).

Katie is 23 months younger than me and despite the fact that we spent our high school years yelling at each other, and are different in many ways, we love and enjoy each other deeply - like to the point that it probably annoys our husbands. I can't get enough of Katie and her amazing little family, so 5 days with them was INCREDIBLE!

We did a lot of fun things together...two mornings at two different beaches (YAY! for no May Grey); swimming in our neighborhood pool; eating at In-N-Out and El Indio; frolicking at our favorite park in Del Mar; playing and picnicking in the backyard; having family movie night and watching Tangled; and the big event of the trip...Legoland (thank you friends!).

But my favorite times during their visit were the little moments...hearing about how the kids had "trained" Bailey the dog; putting on music for a cousins dance session; sitting in the hot tub at night with Katie and Lars and watching the light in Sam's room go on and off while the big kids enjoyed their first sleepover together; seeing Abby develop a sweet connection with her Uncle Lars; having 7 of us take afternoon naps all at the same time; laughing to tears with my sister in the dressing rooms at Target and Ann Taylor (only a sister can tell you something looks terrible on you and it isn't the least bit offensive).

When I have my family in my home the whole world fades away and we just enjoy the simple gift of being together. I love seeing their stuff all over my house. I love seeing my sister put dishes away in my cupboards. I love seeing everyone stumble out of their rooms in pjs in the morning. I love tossing my brother-in-law the car keys so he can run to Target or pick up Thai food. I love the little things.

While I am very aware of all the things my sisters and I miss out on not living near each other, I will continue to play the glad game.

I am so glad
...I have not one, but two, sisters I love so much.
...I get to miss my sisters (absence really does make
the heart grow fonder).
...I do not take my sisters for granted.
...my sister Jenny and her sweet family are coming to visit in July.
...my daughters have each other...and I pray that they will be best friends someday too.

If you are a parent...encourage your kids to be friends from DAY ONE.

If you are a sibling...you don't have to be best friends, but work on a friendship.

More of my favorite moments...