Sisters.

I received a lot of valuable advice from my mission president, but there was one particular piece of advice he gave that originally surprised me and has always stuck with me. When he found out I had three younger sisters, he encouraged me to be love them, be close to them, and be a big sister they could look up to before I "grew up" and had my own family to care for someday.

Growing up, I always dreamed of having a big sister who would take me shopping, show me how to curl my hair and paint my nails, and give me hip hand-me-downs. Instead, I had an older and younger brother who I built Legos and went camping with, and three little sisters who I watched Little Women with, played house with, fought with (let's be real here), shared rooms with, and who took my hand-me-downs. I don't think I've always been the big sister I'd hoped I would have, but the bit of advice from my mission president has encouraged me to be more mindful of being present and attentive to their lives. It's easy to get caught up with "me, me, me"- my single social scene, my job, my roommates, my friends, my activities, my ward, etc., and forget about (pardon the cheese) what really matters most and what is most lasting- my family.

A few weeks ago I invited my little sisters over for a sleepover at my apartment. I'd like to think they had fun (but maybe you should ask them.) We watched "Despicable Me", which was playing at an outdoor movie night, and then we got a little wild and got ice cream after. Maybe I'm just easily entertained, but if I were 14 and my big sister took me to get ice cream at almost midnight, I would think I was pretty hot stuff.

Seesters. Me, Leslie (14) and Laura (16)

The next day we went to Bruges Waffles with our big brother Jason and talked about the other 1/3 of our siblings who are missing (missionaries in Mexico and Washington), cracked the usual Nacho Libre jokes, and made fun of mom and dad (we love them, but it's a must do). Then it was a quick trip to the SLC Farmer's Market and back home. It takes more than a sleepover once a year to maintain relationships with family, but it was a fun thing I hope they remember.

A sister post is also fitting this week, because next week my next youngest sister Alison will return home from her mission in Kennewick, Washington. If there were a "Best of the Brands" award, I think Alison might be the recipient. She is the smartest, sharpest, most creative, most witty, most talented, and most definitely the sweetest and most tenderhearted.   She's the one who woes the grandmas and charms the bosses, gets straight A's in the most impossibly difficult art classes at BYU, sings like an angel, and even tap dances on occasion in the garage. I couldn't be happier to have her back.

Ali and I. We're faiiirly hard core.