With a Little Faith and Hope....

Hope -

I'm feeling so grateful for sisters, my little sister is incredible. I lucked out with both sisters, because she is a spiritual giant also. She is so faithful, and knows exactly how to remind others their Father in Heaven is mindful of them.

I know she believes this, and wants others to know it too.

I have seen her meet trials with faith and courage, gaining a firmer testimony of our savior.

Hope values her heritage. She loves antiques (just like Faith) and finds terrific ways to display them.

I've always admired the way my little sister finds what she wants (a comforter for her bedroom) and is willing to wait and SAVE for it. her self discipline is terrific. I've seen her stick to weight watchers, labeling EVERYTHING in her pantry, and find great recipes. That is dedication.

She's a wonderful mother, with her little craft camps, and great piano recitals, it's a wonder to see her work...

She wishes she could sew better, but doesn't really enjoy it, yet her talent with the written word is incredible. It is entertaining to read her blogs, just because her first drafts are so interesting. She has always taken my girls under her wing, especially Nickole, and I have always remembered what my mom said, "girls need a special confidant, even better if it's not their mom."

Faith was mine, I think Hope was Nickole's.

Many of Faith's family. Aren't her kids great? I love them.




Sisters-
I love mine...

I've always thought that my life had a model to follow, my big sister. What a big job that is for the oldest. I really had realized until quite a few years into my marriage that Christ is our real example, we are all following him. Not that she is perfect, Faith is wonderful, and truly very Christlike. I just assumed that she is great, older, wiser, better, so my likfe could be patterned after her and I'll do fine. I really didn't realize that my choices could be different. My parents gave me plenty of freedom to make my own decisions, but hers felt safe.

• I knew I wanted college, because she became a nurse, getting her degree after high school. I knew nursing wasn't for me, when I realized my MAJOR turnoff for veins. (I still can't think about them or I can't eat meat).
• I knew I would feel a confirmation about my future mate, because she did. OH I found that frustrating when I didn't get a bolt of lightening reassuring me of such a major decision.
• I also knew that prayer was important and necessary for me. I remember kneeling at the side of our full size bed we shared, she teaching me how to pray. (I had to be 3)
• She sings beautiful alto, I love sitting beside her in church. This is where I loved to sing harmony.

My big sister has always made me feel special, beautiful, important, talented, and worthy. She's always interested in my life, my children, and I've always seen her do the same with EVERYONE. ALL she meets is a new friend. She is a hugger, with her short 5'2" body, and beautiful eyes. I mean her lashes are gorgeous. She loves to laugh, and find the good in everyone. I mean it. She is willing to talk to a bum on the street and make him feel loved. She does it.

She even tolerated taking my girls to the Napolean Dynamite festival in Preston Idaho. (honestly, it was real, and it got us up there. It really was funny)

Her favorite nursing job was working in geriatrics. I mean these people are in the humiliating stages of life, and she loves them.

She got to meet, live with, know, and love my dad's parents. She shares stories of them with me, and tells me they would love me.

She was the most gorgeous baby. Honestly, her hair!!! My mother thought the nurses, up in Alaska, had confused her with one of the native's babies.

I love my big sister, I miss her living closer, and I think she's wonderful.......

Faith is now living a very interesting life, one I'm SURE she'd never planned. She lives in a 5th wheel trailer, yep that's right, moving across the country building windmills with her husband. (It makes me want to read don Quixote(sp)) She's seeing the country, I'm so jealous cause I love to travel and see new places. Have fun Faith, you deserve it.


So here a some things I've realized we inherited....

• we love lists... we don't have to finish the list, follow the list, or even look at it again, but they are so fun to make because....
• we love to organize, Faith has the most beautiful linen closet, just ask her, she'll show you,
• we all love to make monthly menus, and Hope's pantry is just as organized. (I guess I love it, but put it off, so DON"T look in mine, when it's done I'll invite you)
• we love to plan, probably as much as the actual event. Planning is so fun!!!
• we love bread, especially rolls, Parker house rolls, and hot chocolate, (although Faith's probably weaned herself right off of this one)
• we love soup, I KNOW we got this from our Mamma. MMMMM beans and hot bread.
• we all hate our hips. Thanks Grandma Mac. I'd like to blame the Ford's for that one, but I think they got the organizing/bossy credit already.
• we are right (ummm, I think I know where I got this, I'm not sure where my sisters think they got it) but it sure does get me in trouble, they probably don't, they just WIN.
• I'm not sure why I'm tall, I'm the freak. I will find the photo proving this!!! They are short, I got the legs they didn't. And something else....
• we all have a passion for our heritage. Faith has done terrifically well with this, I keep putting it off (time and season I keep excusing myself), Hope is even better at learning stories from our parents. (I'm such a slacker).

I'm grateful my parents didn't follow tradition, naming me Charity, it's pretty, but they were actually thinking of naming me Patience. When I was younger I would have DIED with that name, now I really think it's quite beautiful and many Amish girls receive it. I wonder if I had to earn Patience, so I wasn't given the name.

Anyhow, my name has made me a kind of outcast in the trio, but I've always felt welcomed inspite of it. I'll take Fawn.