Sisters

I have been marvelously blessed with sisters.  My two older sisters, Gloria and Carole, were 10 and 8 1/2+ years when I was born.  Beth, my baby sister, is 16 months younger than me.  Mother was only 18 years old, when Gloria was born, but she was 28 when I came along.  Mother always said that she had 2 families, each with 2 daughters since there was some distance in age.  We sisters, however, for the most part have been close. 

We all live in the Metro-Atlanta area.  We have been here for each other through the good times and the rough times.  Ups and downs are all part of this wonderful thing we live -- called life! 

I'm the 3rd daughter of a man named Ted.  I looked like him and I was named for him.  I was even asked as a young girl, exactly how was I related to those pretty Moore girls...all had darker hair than me...I was redheaded, and freckle-faced like my adored Daddy.

                

As little girls, I was closest to Beth.  I was only 2 years ahead of her in school, and we had many of the same friends.  She cheered with several friends of mine in higschool.  The times we were not close would be when I was in highschool with her still in elementary, or when she was highschool with me in college, or when I married and she was in college.  Our children are friends, and with me retired, I hope our grandchildren will have times to play together.

Gloria was the one I modeled myself after.  She was very dramatic and I loved acting like her.  As a married woman with children, she was like our 2nd mother.  She would be caring and bossy just like mother.  I knew I'd better mind her, lol! We were the best of friends during the days we lobbied the capitol as Mothers On the March, and when we had weekly Bible Study together.

Carole, though much closer to Gloria's age, was more of a big sister.  She could be bossy, but she was home longer with us, and she took Beth and me places.  We visited her in N.C., the summer after my 7th grade year, staying about a month.  We also visited her when we were older and she lived in Columbus.  We also lobbied the capitol and did Bible Study together.  She and Tom also camped with Tim, me, and Frank.  Great times! :)!!

We spent a lot of time with each other when Beth and I were in our late 20's and early 30's and Gloria and Carole in their late 30's and early 40's. We did birthdays with the couples and Mama and Daddy.  We also had birthday parties together for all our children. In the 1970's, Daddy ran our for office, and we campaigned across the district doing bakesales to raise funds. 

We also participated in Stop ERA, and began MOM (Mother's on the March), and we helped defeat the ERA in 1982. What a precious memory that was with at least 1,000 of us Moms and our children.

This picture is when Mama and Daddy are both still healthy.  It seems like a long time ago.

Here we are at Daddy's 60th birthday.  Yes, we all have the same hairdo!  LOL!

My three sons are each close in age to at least one of the children of my sisters.  Gloria was actually pregnant with each one of us.  She had 7 children, and we all had 3 each.  Timothy is closest in age to Carole's youngest daughter, Betsy.  Ted is just 3 months younger than Gloria's 4th son, Andrew, and less than 2 years older than Gloria's twin daughters, Mary and Rebekah, and Beth's daughter, Aly.  Frank, my baby boy, is 3 years younger than Beth's middle son, and 2 years older than her youngest.

For several years, Mother lived with me, and the only times I saw my sisters was on special occasions.  They came to my house to be with Mother, when I was out of town.  I was working full-time as a teacher during that time. The caretaking years were hard for all of us. Since Mama has not been here, we have had the opportunity to renew our relationship as sisters.  Also, now that I'm retired, I have been able to see each one more often.  How great is that!

We attended our cousin Jim's son's wedding in 2010.  When school started August 2010, instead of teaching, I began keeping Lili, my youngest granddaughter, and on Tuesdays for the first three months, we ate breakfast and lunch with Carole and her husband, Tom, and their youngest grandchild, Mia.

Gloria and I spent time in Helen for her birthday in 2009.  

Beth and I are in my kitchen in NSB, FLA.  We spent time with Melissa and Diane (bff) while guys went to the Turkey Run, on Friday after Thanksgiving 2010.

I'm the only sister who had no daughters, but there are many daughters among my 3 sisters.  Gloria has 3, Carole has 2, and Beth has one.  Since this is about sisters, I've only placed the sisters on this blog.



Here are Carole's daughters, Kathy and Betsy.

                                       

  Below are Kathy's daughters, Rachael and Kymalee.

                                                       Madelyn and Caroline are Betsy's daughters.   

                            

                                                           

                        Here are all 3, Madelyn, Caroline, and Amelia                  

After her 4 sons, Gloria had twin girls Mary and Rebekah, and then, last but not least, Saralynne.  Mary has 3 girls and Rebekah has 3 boys  Both are really enjoying this motherhood.  Saralynne is their doting auntie. 

Audrey, Sloane, and Gabby are Mary's girls.

I didn 't have daughters, but my son, Ted, has 2 daughters, Ivey and Lili .  After having all sons,granddaughters have been a blast! 

                       

Along with sisters, we have sisters in-law.  Melissa has been my sister in-law for soon to be 42 years, but we have been sisters for around 25 years.  I'm sure most of you know what I mean. 

Melissa is my husband Tim's sister, but she is Beth's husband's brother's wife.  So, we have the same sister in-law.  People love to tease us about this one.

 

We also have friends who are close to us like sisters.  Diane is my bff!  She and I are beach buddies, as she lives in FLA.

Vickie is our friend.  She works for my husband and she and her husband are like family.

 Sandra and Emily are my prayer warrior buddies.  Sandra calls us the 3 musketeers.  We have prayed everyday for almost 8 years on the telephone.  Sisters in Christ are real sisters!



 

I have had the most wonderful time talking about sisters.  My mother always wished that she had had a sister.  She loved her one brother to pieces, and, where Mama had 4 daughters, Uncle Bill had 5 sons. 

As I complete this blog, feeling very warm and fuzzy about my three sisters, their daughters, and sisters in-law, girlfriends who are like sisters, as well as sisters in Christ, I end feeling another blog coming on...about what?....cousins....LOL!!!