Here's To Sisters!

The best sound in the world to me, the sound that makes my heart sing and my eyes well up, makes my mouth involuntarily broaden and turn up at the corners is the sound of my children's laughter. Any parent will tell you that this is a sound sweeter than any symphony or anything audible in nature.

I am so lucky to have been blessed with two wonderful little people to call my daughters. And what's the icing on the cake is that they seem to adore one another. They make each other laugh genuinely and heartily on a daily basis. Oh sure they have their sibling moments of arguing and competing. But overall, they are closer to one another than anyone else is to either of them as individuals. Not to minimize the relationship I share with them, but speaking as both their Mother and as someone who also is blessed with a sister (I love you, Shelly), nothing will ever compare to what they share between the two of them.

My oldest daughter, Jazmine is so protective of her little sister and has a high degree of empathy for her. If Jenna is upset or distressed Jazmine can't stand it and goes to great lengths to assist her. Jazmine has gotten quite cross and impatient with me in the past if she perceives that I'm not addressing Jenna's needs in a timely enough manner. I tend not to get too annoyed with this and, in fact respect it, as I relate to it very much in my experiences growing up with my older sister.

When Jenna first came home from hospital with her newly diagnosed diabetes, Jazmine was incredibly upset with all that Jenna had to endure; numerous blood sugar checks, three insulin injections per day, etc. I was quick to inform Jazmine that Jenna finds all this just as scary as she does but she doesn't have a choice in the matter. Jenna has to have her blood sugar checked and she needs her insulin to stay healthy. To watch my five year old "suck-it-up", for lack of a better term, and get brave for her little sister was just awe inspiring.

Jazmine went from crying and running away during these procedures to staying close by, observing and actually encouraging and cheering Jenna on! "It's OK, Jenna... you can do it... Hurray for Jenna!! You did it!!!"

I can't express in words how fortunate I feel to have been blessed with such delightful, kind, caring, fun-loving, fascinating, strong, smart, brave (I really could go on and on and on...) little girls. I am so very lucky to be a part of their lives.