"Bamer"

My sister, Jamie, is 4 1/2 years younger than me. It's funny to me how I used to think she was soooo much younger, and how now that we are older that gap continues to shrink. I call her "Bamer" and I have been using that name for her since we were kids. I don't really remember how I decided to change Jamie to Bamer, but never-the-less "Bamer" stuck, and I rarely call her anything else.

Jamie and I didn't always get a long growing up. She saw me as the "bossy and demanding, mean older sister" and I saw her as the "annoying, bratty baby sister." It's not hard to see why we fought growing up, we are very different. It amazes me how siblings can be raised by the same parents and turn out so unique. I could go on and on about the things that we differ on or don't exactly see eye to eye, but instead I thought it would be fun to list some of the things she "gets from me."

~ Through college she has learned to cut back on some of her spending and now tends to think like I do when it's time for grocery shopping. (Although now that I have a "real job" I have relaxed on my penny saving and will shell the extra cash for some things)

~ We both enjoy a good night out with friends, but when given the choice, most times will prefer to be in bed by 10!

~ We both tend to have a certain talent for working with kids.

~ We both enjoy cooking and trying new recipes...especially meals that are BOTH good for you and taste good.

~ We both have a deep appreciation for a really good dessert. (the more chocolate, the better!)

~ We both LOVE spending time with our little nephew Bryson! (However, we do fight over who is his favorite...ME!)

~ We both spent many summers earning money by life guarding at the local pool.

~ Apparently we chew our gum the same...I never noticed, but I've been told this.

One weekend I was visiting Jamie and we were cooking dinner together, she turned to me and asked "Jill, do you think we would be friends if we weren't sisters?" The question kind of caught me off guard and I answered honestly..."I don't know if we would become great friends, but I don't think we would be rude to each other. We would probably pass in the night and not give the other much thought." She seemed to agree (we are both well aware of how different we are). However I have had more time to think about this question...probably more than she knows, and I have a new answer. I have many friends, they are great. But I have only one sister, and I wouldn't trade 1,000 friends for my baby sister, Bamer.