the best Christmas gift

The Christmas of 1988, Santa brought me a letter and told me I would get a baby brother or sister in July of 1989.  I really thought I had messed up- having a baby brother or sister was most definitely not on the top of my list.  But as I have learned over the past (almost) 25 years, sometimes the best gifts are things you don't ask for....

Annie Hughes and I are almost 5 years a part and 4 years a part in school.  Growing up, we were never in the same school.  I finished elementary school and she started. I finished high school and she started. And thankfully (for my Mom's bank account), I finished college and she started.

Our SENIOR year (senior in high school, senior in college)

As young kids, she annoyed the fire out of me.  She wanted to be around me and my friends, when I definitely did not want her to be.  Thankfully for me, my Mom was not one of those parents that made me include her when I had friends over- the age difference sometimes made that difficult.  

One of our biggest differences growing up, and even to this day, is that she is a morning person and I am a night owl.  When I was in high school, mornings were not my best part of the day. I wanted to wake up, get ready and leave for school without saying a word.  Not Annie.  I would get to the kitchen to eat breakfast and she would run in to join me.  She would sit down, so excited for the day, and start telling me everything.  Our morning conversations always started with her telling me about her dreams the night before and would end with me putting the cereal box in front of my face to block her out.  Something we still laugh about to this day.

One of the holidays spent at my Aunt Ann's house.

Growing up, we had different interests.  I was a dancer and a cheerleader.  Annie was an athlete- she played a different sport every season.  She always made me so proud.  I loved coming home from college to watch her play soccer.  It was her passion and she excelled at it.  I spent so many weekends when she was young watching her play in soccer tournaments.  

One of Annie's last years as a dancer. 

One of the many soccer tournament weekends.

As we've aged, we've become more and more similar.  Not only do we look more alike, but we also share common interests.  In high school, we both spent many summers at Carolina Cross Connection and in college continued by serving on staff.  Those summers that she was on staff were some of the summers that God bound our hearts together even more.  We began to have a deeper understanding of each other.

In high school, we both participated in the Rockingham County Junior Miss program.  Even though neither one of us won, it was something that meant a lot to us.  We both serve on the State Executive Committee and enjoy spending time together encouraging high school girls to be their best selves.  

It is amazing to me how far we have come in 25 years.  My Mom always told me as a child how important my sister would be to me, but I don't think I ever really believed her.  Now as an adult (approaching 30), I am thankful for my sister- for the life we have shared together and for what is to come.

I love you my baby sister, more than you''ll ever know.  You make me proud, even though I don't always say it.  I will always, always be here for you.  You, my sister, are the best Christmas gift I ever received.  I love you the most Annie Hughes.