Today is National Brothers and Sisters Day... I’m celebrating with my husband’s family and my kids. Not that we’re doing anything super fancy or special. But that is the thing about kicking back with your siblings. You don’t have to get dressed up.
This post has been sponsored by Top Agency. All opinions and goofy family stories and photos are my own.
You would think that I know all about brothers and sisters, having grown up as one of four kids. But the reality is, I was pretty much an only child growing up. My brothers are so much older than me, and were out of the house by the time I was in preschool. They didn’t really have much of a role in my life. We were not close. I was always jealous of friends that had close siblings and close sibling relationships.
Lucky for me, my husband also is one of four, but unlike me and my siblings, he is very close with his siblings. I learned all about this very shortly after I met him.
“Buddy Chris! Buddy Corey! Buddy Hol!”
I seriously could not believe that my husband and his sibling all addressed each other as “Buddy”. It was like they were on some team and there was a secret handshake and language. They truly “got” each other. Oh the endless inside jokes. I wasn’t sure whether to be impressed or frightened.
One
time, over Thanksgiving holidays, we played charades. I can’t remember what the clue was, but it took my husband and his brother about ten seconds to communicate the answer to the charade. And that answer was… Agamemnon! Seriously? How is that even possible? It takes me ten minutes to get my siblings to pass the salt.
The wonderful thing about having children with someone who has grown up close to his siblings, is that he has imbued those sort of relationships into our family with our kids.
I was so thrilled to have daughters, but never having had a sister, I was also intimidated. And then two sons too? How would they all get along? I don’t know any four kids who are as different as mine, but they somehow manage to remain close despite these differences.
Now more than ever we are feeling that.
In a way I am grateful for the present “shelter in place” orders. Our lives are so busy that we don’t normally get to spend so much time together. But this bonus time has seen my 12 and 15 year old sons taking long hikes with their sister who is normally away in college. My oldest daughter is making meals for my sons and they are often, all laughing and joking and playing games till the way-too-late wee hours. They are bonded, and bonding even more in these troubled times. Huge silver lining,
So what did we do today?
On this National Brothers and Sisters day we set up a Zoom call with my husband’s sibling and all the cousin siblings. There wasn’t much new or exciting to chat about. We are all well versed on each other’s TV binges. But that’s the nice thing about siblings. You can show up with food in your hair and talk about what you watched on tv and this is ok. Siblings accept you and love you for who you are. I’m an honorary sib now. I wore my pajamas.
Looking for more ways to celebrate all year long with your siblings? Check out National Today. They have the scoop on all the fun holidays you know and love, and a million more you want to get to know asap.
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