Sisters who need sisters...

I was the first , making an entrance in 1959. The others followed in rapid Irish Catholic succession with a final count of 9 pregnancies and 6 kids in 10 years. Due to a bad roll of the dice for my brother, he was the only male.

So, as we were growing up there, were 5 girls and just one lad. It's no wonder he occasionally would "toss" a large metal tractor at our heads. Who wouldn't? One bathroom and a bunch of sisters ? we were lucky it was only tractors he tossed and not hand grenades.

 Like so many families we fought as children over many  trivial things like the last hot dog and who got to sleep closet to the fan in a small, cramped, non-air conditioned home. With the exception of one precious sister who died of pneumonia complications at the tender age of 11, we have all grown up.

Most miraculous of all...we like each other now.

We take this for granted at times, until we are told that not all sisters are as close as we are. Not all share every major holiday together, along with our ever expanding families,  or plan a week long family vacation together in another state (next June) or even risk an overnight trip to the Covered Bridge Festival in the neighboring state of Indiana like we just did this past weekend.

From left Teresa, Mary, Peg and Herself

 

We finally have learned that we can be great sources of support rather than just thorns in each others sides. We all love our husbands and feel that they got the better end of the marriage deals and we each enjoy sharing clothes back and forth ( as body shapes go up and down) now that we are no longer FORCED to share as when we were tiny. We especially liked sharing a couple of weak bottles of wine before retiring on Saturday night.

 

All in all I would say I am the luckiest sister in the world.