Boo.

Beth is my friend.
She's also my partner in crime, kindred spirit, and my sister.

Everyone call Beth, Lizzy.

But she has always loved the name "Beth."
So, being the wonderful sister I am.... and knowing how awful it is not to have ANY nick-names (Helen cannot be shortened. Don't try!), I started calling her Beth.
I also call her Boo....
Sometimes Pooker.
Often, Stinker.
Every now and then, Poo.
A few times, Bertha.
Mostly, Beth.

She is pretty awesome!

I've known her for.... forever!

We happen to get along pretty great. Which is a good thing since the majority of our lives were spent with the other at our side.

Beth is married.
This tragedy occurred almost two years ago.... wow, time flies.
*It wasn't really a tragedy.

Her husband is this dude.

*He's cool*

Actually.... he's pretty awesome!

He makes her smile/laugh!

They had the most incredible wedding.... ever!

Jeffrey wrote a bunch of the music.... because he just happens to be able to do that.
He sang Beth a song he wrote while she walked down the aisle.
Dad did the service.
God was totally glorified!

Jeffrey brings out the best in Beth and vice-versa.....
I didn't think Beth could get any better.... but he really does make her shine even brighter!
It gets blinding.

They (More specifically, she...) had this baby.

Isn't she cute?!?!?!?!
I think she is..... and I say that from a totally un-biased point of view.
Well... never mind.

Beth is the PERFECT little wife and mom!
She makes homemaking look like a breeze.

I don't think being married means that you have to be all serious and boring....

 If it does, Beth failed.

They have their own wittle family!!!!

I miss Beth.
I see her at least twice a week... talk to her almost every day.
But I miss her.

I wish I could say Beth and I are alike...
But it would be a lie.
Beth is perfect... at least as perfect as is allowed.

Although two years older than me and WAY taller .... I beat Beth up when we were kids!

You have to understand my side of the story.....
Imagine growing up with an angel as your sister.
It rubs your "naughtiness" in your face.
Bad excuse?
I know....
I still feel bad about my bullying!

I look like a nice kid in this picture..... it's fake.
We have a video to prove it....

BUT.... I grew up!
After I turned twelve... my vicious side toned down.
I don't pinch people anymore!
Now I just put salt in their coffee... etc.
*Just kidding!

She loved me through my "bullying."
We became buddies/friends and did some crazy stunts throughout the years.

I have a great sense of humor....
Not everybody appreciates or understands it.... but it really is great!

I have a few sides of my humor.
I have the humor that only my brothers "get."
It is usually the more gruesome side.

I have the humor that my parents understand.
It usually includes songs like "Taylor the Latte Boy."

And then I have this insane side.
This crazy, psychotic sense of humor that NO-ONE gets....
No-one but Beth!

She has that same sense of crazed humor.

I miss sharing those crazy moments

Even though she is old and married.... she still has that craziness.

A while back we took Marian to her AWANA games...

It was pretty fun.
We drove mom's car... (Goodness, drag racing is fun! *JUST KIDDING!!!!*)
Went to Chai....
I held Em....
I made Em cry...

We ate sour Skittles...

We laughed...

We talked...

It was awesome.

Last week, Jo, Beth, and I went walking downtown...
It was awesome.
We walked.
Talked.
Ate.
Drank.
Were merry.

A couple days ago.... I ordered some boots from Macys.
By the way.... I never EVER shop at Macys.
But they had this great sale.
And I got a REALLY good deal because I chatted with an associate.
I felt SO accomplished, until....The next day I looked at my bank account and saw that they had charged me TWICE for the boots....

I was scared.
I thought I got scammed.

I frantically started calling every number possible.

EVERYTHING was automated.
I was frustrated at this point.

Beth came over, heard what happened, and started helping me.
We were both frustrated.

"Macys is taking my money!!!!!!!! Ah!"

We finally decided to write them an email.....
SO we did.
At this point, we were really mad.
You can understand..... they were stealing my hard-earned money!
Being a Barista isn't as easy as it looks.
Okay, okay, maybe it is.

Our email was a joint effort....
Beth and I are nice people.
But remember.... they were stealing my money!
It wasn't mean.
It was "clear."
We tend to feed off each other..... and we wanted to make sure they took us seriously.

After a few more phone calls.... I started jabbing all the numbers that were not listed.
After a few, "This number is not available...." it rang and an actual voice picked up!
I can never be rude to an actual person.... so I calmly stated that they were trying to steal my money and I wanted it back.
The nice associate on the other side, in an even calmer voice explained that that was actually just a hold on my account.... it wasn't taking my money.
*Insert blushing, stammering, glaring at Beth.*
"OK.... Thanks!"

Oops!

Then there was yesterday.....
I was having a Monday, on a Tuesday.
I was all emotional and sang "I had a Bad Day," a few too many times.
Beth called, pointed me to Christ, talked, processed ... it's all better.

Times like those are dear to my heart.
They remind me that even though Beth is all married and stuff..... she's still my sister!
We still can have crazy times.

Sisters are a wonderful thing....
You have a bond that holds you together through all the different stages of life!
We went through the rough parts of life, as well as the highlights together.
From the terrible twos, to the dramatic teens.... she was always there for me!

Even though she has entered this totally new time in life, we still share that relationship.
A relationship that means the world to me....
Beth has made my life so much brighter.

She is everything a woman is supposed to be, loves the Lord so much, and has pointed me to Him SO many times!


I am SO very blessed to have her in my life.....

I love her!!!!!!

Our own Band.... :)

I love you, Boo!

Happy Birthday, Jo!

It Jo's birthday!!!!!!

Jo is my biggest and littlest sister.
She is biggest in age, smallest in size.

Jo is incredible.

Jo could do pretty much anything in life. She is "drop dead gorgeous," smarter than one person should be allowed, and has an adorable sense of humor.

She has taken all that awesomeness and invested it in our family.
Jo teaches the kids five days a week (unless you didn't catch it... that is how many school days are in a week.).

When I was in high school  (WAY back), Jo stayed up many a night with me.
We had a lot of fun together, doing History assignments, listening to "History songs" ("I'm Sailing away...."), and learning.

Jo has this crazy gift of making learning, fun! (Crazy! I know!) But somehow she does it.

Johnny is in the process of reading "Romeo and Juliet" with Jo.
Although he would never admit it, I am positive he is enjoying it!
That book is full of silly ideas.
Romeo goes to a party (he is engaged to another woman...) see's Juliet (Falls in "love?" or did he just think she was cute?), kisses Juliet, and marries Juliet in one night.
Excuse me!
Ya... I made sure they realized how stupid that was!
BUT... back to the point. Jo took this ridiculous story, and found things to teach the boys from it.

Mom and Jo make a great team... between the two, our house is busting at the seams with smartness. *Haha, not really!*

Years and years ago, Jo and I had our own "magazine."
Blue Gables News.
We did them often... in case anyone in the family had forgotten any happenings.
At one point we made big plans to go "cyber" and send them to everyone important (Grandma, etc.).
It was our pride and joy.
We thought we were so cool and professional.
She would type, I would talk, and somehow we would put great stuff on paper.
Jo never corrected my grammar or told me "that's stupid," even if it really was.
She added to my babbling... we were a great team.

On Thanksgiving-eve,  Jo, Marian, and I made pies.
We set up the TV and watched "My Fair Lady."
WOW... that movie amazes me.
It is HILARIOUS!
Of course, we never knew that because we always forwarded the songs.
Ya... that is the point of the movie... but they're long.
We truly howled with laughter through the whole thing.
The boys kinda stared at us like we were going crazy... we couldn't help it.

Jo is someone who listens really well.
She has been there for me so many times.
I love how Jo gets really excited about things... whether it is God, a recipe, or an idea.

Jo is awesome!
Jo is someone I wish I was more like... although that is a far-fetched wish.
She is one of my very best friends and I love her SO much!

Happy Birthday, Jo!

I smile because you are my sister, I laugh because there is nothing you can do about it!

-- Author Unknown

Sisters function as safety nets in a chaotic world simply by being there for each other.
-- Carol Saline

I love you, Jo!

Sisters, Sisters...

"There were never such devoted sisters."

For as long as I can remember... I have had the same two best friends. 
There have been other dear friends, other "kindred spirits;" but only two that hold the life long record of my very "best friends."
These two would be my very dear sisters, Johanna and Beth.


There is also my latest "best friend," Marian. She is growing up so fast. Although she is almost ten years younger than me. She is also one of my "best friends."

Recently I found a "best friend" scrap book that she had done a while back. She put me as her "best friend." It meant the world to me.

 

"Those who've seen us, know that not a thing could come between us"

As devoted sisters we have lost many nights of sleep while talking about great issues of life... as well as just the trivial happenings. We can be serious and in an instant cause people to seriously doubt our sanity. 

They have been there through the rough times just as they have been there for the great times.  I remember so many times through the turmoil of "growing up" where my sisters were the ones pulling me along!

"Never had to have a chaperone, no sir, I'm there to keep my eye on her"

Having Beth get married was the most exciting thing in the world... and the craziest. 
There are loads of books for people planning on getting married... but you can't find one for the sisters. 
We had spent plenty of time planning our weddings and talking about when our "princes" would come. 
Nothing prepared us for when he actually did come. 

All our lives we had done most everything together. Now she was going to take a  giant leap into the vast un-known... alone.  It was much harder than I expected.

Beth made the perfect bride and put to shame all of those myths about "bratty brides." 

"Lord, help the mister who comes between me and my sister."

After the shock wore off... I was able to see that Jeffrey wasn't such a bad fellow after all. . 

Now he is completely and totally the big brother I have always wished for

"Caring, sharing, every little thing that we are wearing. ....She wore the dress, and I stayed home"

When I was trying frantically to decide what to wear to the audition  (It  really did matter!) of  "Cinderella," it was Jo who gave me the skirt that I still believe was the reason I got the part.
 Now that is an awesome sister! 

"Three different faces, but in tight places, we think and we act as one"

I will never be sure how or when it happened that we became the way we are today, we definitely had our hard times... but we are sisters.  I don't know where I would be without them....but I know it would be scary. 

I wouldn't trade my sisters for anything in the world! They mean so much to me!
I love you girls!

"You can kid the world.  But not your sister. " ~Charlotte Gray

I smile because you are my sister, I laugh because there is nothing you can do about it! Author Unknown

What's the good of news if you haven't a sister to share it?  ~Jenny DeVries

How do people make it through life without a sister?  ~Sara Corpening

A sister is a forever friend.  ~Author Unknown

Our roots say we're sisters, our hearts say we're friends.  ~Author Unknown

Sister to sister we will always be,
A couple of nuts off the family tree.
~Author Unknown