My Sister

When I was a little girl, I would beg my parents for a sister. I wanted a someone to share clothes with, to paint each others nails with, someone who I could dish about the latest boyfriend drama with...everything you do with a sister. 

I realize now that sisters, just like my two brothers, can drive you crazy and I'm kinda thankful now that I never got my wish because I like being the only girl in the family.

Let's just say I get certain privileges... ;)

Which also a lot of disadvantages, but I digress. 

But when I look back on my childhood, I can see now that I really did have a sister all along. 

Maybe not the conventional kind...In fact, some may call me crazy for thinking that I consider my pet a sibling, but it's true. You see, I believe wholeheartedly that dogs (all pets for that matter) are family. 

Truth is, there's not a memory from my youth that didn't include my Char-char.

She was there snuggling with me when I skinned my knee the first time on my new bike.

She kissed my nose when I would put bows on her ears...and promptly nudged them off.

She even christened every new house we moved to with a prompt barf all over the carpet.

She entertains us at every holiday or special occasion by getting into some sort of trouble.

 and I swear she listened to me as I cried about my parent's divorce.

And as I've gotten older, of course I've realized that time is short...that life is short.

Even more so for our animals.  

Every moment is special. 

Even when they eat your perfectly cooked Christmas ham off the dining room table.

Even when you have to shovel up the dead squirrel in the backyard from their afternoon 'hunt'. 

Even when you are chasing them down the street after they took off on a leisurely run through the neighborhood. 

Those are the memories you will carry with you for the rest of your life. 

And as I pet my lovely Charlotte as she rests on her favorite orthopedic bed, (spoiled, eh?)

I smile because all that time I really did have a sister, 

and I still do... even if its only for a short while longer on this planet.

and you know what? 

I may or may not have painted her nails on occasion. 

She drew the line at sharing clothes, though.