siSteRs?!

this time last year i remember writing, rather posting, about the upcoming birth of my little sister. nearly a year later, im amazed at how much i love her. not that i didnt think id love her this time last year, i just thought it be kind of like an aunt/niece type of relationship which logistically i guess it is, but in some crazy, surreal way, i love her in this odd, sisterly-type of love. this next week we (the sisters..) will both be celebrating birthdays. allie will be one on tuesday, i will be 27 on thursday(although im still well aware of the fact that i look nearly a decade younger). i am rather split as to how i feel about turning yet another year older. at first thought, i panic, just a little. only because even though 27 is far from old, it seems like at 27 you should have your life together. and i dont have my life together. however, i have learned that the only way to truly have your life together is in admitting that you don't and can't have your life together without the infusion of the Gospel, so therefore i guess in a sense i do have my life together:) after the tinge of panic subsides, i feel a true sense of gratitude when i think about my 27th birthday. holy cow, ive got so freaking much to be thankful for, i dont even know where id start. and while id never have thought that id be where i am at this point in my life, i cant honestly say that id change any of it. only because i can see this thread thats been threaded(for lack of a better word) throughout my entire life and at times i can see glimpses of the bigger picture God is working on. taking any little part out, it wouldnt work and so i dont think id change a thing. and an even bigger reason as to why im grateful for this 27th year is because now ive got this little sis with which i can impart all of this real life knowledge. its different from being a parent, although kind of the same i guess. the same in that you love this little one so so much that you take wisdom you've learned in your life and try your very hardest to impart it to them in hopes that they won't have to hurt in ways you've hurt. but its different in that im in a much cooler position to impart this wisdom as i am her sister and not her mom. that ranks when it comes to listening. i ramble, but i guess my point is that ive fallen in love with allie and i pray that the 26 years ive got on her will benefit her in some way...