Sisters, Sisters

Prepare yourself: This is a long post, but I have a lot to say about my sister.


Aren't sisters wonderful? If you don't have one, you don't know what you're missing! Growing up with a younger sister, I'm certain, made me the person I am today. We loved each other and hated each other and love each other more. (If you have one, you'll understand.) Yesterday, my sister celebrated her birthday. This is one of my favorite pictures of my sister Emily and me. It reminds me of all of the fun we had running around outside playing pretend. Thinking about our adventures make me even more excited that Anne Parks will have a sister, too.

I couldn't be more proud of my baby sister. The little girl in this picture has grown up to be one wonderful mama, a super-supportive wife, a business owner, and my best friend. This week, she'll be expanding her store and MINT will offer home furnishings and accessories.
Sadly, this is the most recent picture that I have of Emily and me, aside from hospital pics from when Smith was born. She was pregnant in this one, so I've added another (below, with Reed) where she looks more like herself. (I'm adding "take a picture with Emily" to my to do list!)



In honor of her birthday, I dedicate this video to my sister. It's sort of our theme song. For many years, this routine was our contribution to the "Howell Family Talent Show" on Christmas Eve. Emily, enjoy!




There is no one who will ever know you better than your sister. So, when Emily and Reed got married, I presented him with this guide. I thought it'd be fun to share it with you.

A Sister’s Guide to Living with Emily

As you’re reading this, you are about to embark on a journey – a lifelong journey with many peaks and valleys. There are a chosen few who have, so far, survived this journey. I am one of them, and I am willing to impart the lessons that I learned along the way. In an effort to make the road a little smoother, I have created this guide. It is full of tips and lessons that I have learned through experience. I hope that they will aid you on this journey that we call “living with Emily.”

Attention

The first and most important rule of living with Emily is that she likes attention.

Give it to her and let her have it from others. This is the key to a pleasant journey.

Emily hates to be alone. (Who will give her attention then?)

Know that when left alone, Emily will need some sort of contact with others, so keep a cell phone or computer handy.

Competition

Another important thing to remember is that Emily is competitive. Not only does she like to compete, she likes to win.

She will turn ANYTHING and EVERYTHING into a competition.

When Emily loses, so will you. So…let her win!

Sleep

Emily can make you tired.
(See Likes and Dislikes– “hates sitting still” and entire Quirks section.)

Warning: She’s probably going to want to sleep with you.
(See attention section -she doesn’t like to be alone.)

When you are the most fatigued is when she’ll want to keep you awake by talking.

There are some diversion tactics that can help you to distract her and get her to go to sleep, giving you some much-needed rest. I always relied on games.
(See competition section – “she likes to win”.)
The Arm Game – While lying on your backs in bed, raise one arm towards the ceiling. The first to lower his/her arm loses.

Sleep Race – Have a race to see who can go to sleep the fastest.

The Quiet Game – This one’s a classic. Whoever talks first loses.
(Note: The Sleep Race and Quiet Game can be combined for greater effect. The Quiet Game can also be used during other times of the day when you need a break.)

Likes and Dislikes

In this section, I started to include lists of Emily’s likes and dislikes. However, Emily doesn’t have any likes or dislikes. It won’t take you long to learn that Emily either LOVES or HATES something. So, following is a list of Emily’s HATES and of her LOVES.It is important to note that these lists can be used for both good and evil. It will be helpful if you want to avoid any problems, but it can also be a handy tool for getting under her skin.

HATES:
She hates…Mayonnaise.
She hates seeing someone eating it, thinking about it, or even hearing the word.

She hates…Barbecue.
Ever since the Super Bulldog Weekend fiasco several years ago, she’s hated the stuff.

She hates…Knee-pits.
This especially refers to the tendon behind the knee. She hates thinking about, touching, or having someone touch hers.

She hates…The Stomach Virus
Just thinking about it will make her sick.

She hates…Being alone.
Like I said, keep a cell phone handy.

She hates…Losing.
To her, it’s not an option.

She hates…Not getting enough attention…
Or feeling left out.

She hates…Sitting still.
She just can’t do it.


LOVES:

She loves…Attention.
Getting it, being the center of it, drawing it, I could go on and on.

She loves…Being first.
First in line, first to tell a story, first in a competition… as long as she’s first.

She loves…Winning.

She loves… Microphones.

She loves…Being in charge.
(Have you noticed a pattern, yet?)

She loves...Her family.

Quirks

While living with Emily, you might notice a few of her quirks. Some of them can be very entertaining, while others are less so.

She’s feisty.

She also demands good service and common courtesy from others. (This is a bonus because a complaint to a manager by Emily is sure to get you free stuff at your favorite restaurant.)

She can’t speak without moving her entire body, but must especially uses her hands and eyebrows to communicate. (Note: Entertainment opportunity - Have her tell a story without moving her eyebrows…hilarious!)

She sheds.
No, you don’t have a new pet in the bathtub; it’s just Emily’s hair.

She doesn’t know the difference between “deja vous” and “bourgeois”.

She can’t say “exactly”.

She’s very picky.
From the food she eats, to the number that represents the volume on the TV, she’s hard to please.

That’s why you should feel extra special because she chose you.

Closing Remarks

As you see, to successfully live with Emily you must remember a few things. Never forget she loves attention and to be a winner. So, tell her that she’s beautiful, smart and talented. Tell her that she has the biggest and kindest heart of anyone you know. Tell her that her quirks only endear her to you more. Tell her that she’s the BEST.
After all, it’s the truth.