People In My Life: My Sister Stacey

Growing up in a family with six children allows for many adventures and many kinds of relationships. With each of my siblings I have a unique relationship that I am thankful for each and every day. This morning I finished talking on the phone with my sister Stacey who lives 700 miles away. We try to catch up on each other's lives once a week and our phone calls generally last several hours.

When I talk to Stacey on the phone or in person, I can let my guard down. She knows my strengths and weaknesses which makes it so much easier to share my fears and frustrations. She is also my cheerleader. If she knows I am experiencing a big flare-up she will call to check on me. In the two weeks that I have been on this diet, she has called during the week to see how I am doing. It feels great to know someone is thinking about the challenges you are going through. She goes one step further though in cheering me on. In order to learn more about the diet I am on, she bought the book and is reading it. This may not seem like a big deal but it is huge to me. What better message can she send than to learn about the things I am doing so she can encourage me more. She may decide this diet is a good match for her too or she may not. Either way is fine because I know that she will support my decisions and continuously encourage me.

When I talk with Stacey we discuss so many things: our spirituality, our beliefs in religion, family, friends, spouses, children, health, etc, etc. The list goes on. With her I feel a sense of freedom to discuss topics I may not generally participate in like politics and this morning immigration. We often see things the same way but find that we each can bring new knowledge to the other one.

Stacey brings many good things to my life. She is a constant reminder that full time workers and full time mothers can incorporate healthy diets and exercise into their lives. There is always time when you make it. She reminds me to always ask more questions. For the last three years she has fought doctors who claimed her son would "grow out" of his tics and seizures and gone on to find alternative routes for him. Stacey is strong. She has shown me that even though a mother may need to work, she can still practice attachment parenting. If ever there was a woman succeeding at being Super Mom, it is my sister Stacey.