Sisters

I have heard it said that the ideal family consists of father, mother, two daughters, and two sons, so that each child may experience having a brother and a sister.  Personally, I felt we had the ideal family when we had one daughter and one son!  I did not have a sister.  My daughter did not have a sister.  Even my daughter-in-love does not have a sister.  I did not realize the importance of a girl having a sister, until...

Susannah Logan Metzger was born on November 28, 1995.  Madeline Jane Metzger, born on October 6, 1993, now had a sister!  Wow!

Watching these two through the years has been amazing.  They are best friends even though competitors at times.  They share many of the same strengths, yet have some all their own.   

Admittedly there are times when the glories of having a sister have to be sought out.  There were those "Make her quit looking at me moments."  Maddie can arch one eyebrow (a la Scarlett O'Hara) when Susannah appears on the scene wearing her (Mad's) clothes head to toe!  Other times Maddie dresses Susannah in her clothes (and keeps track, I'm sure,  for future payback.)  Susannah will tell you right quick that the situation happens in reverse often, too.  Their wardrobes will be virtually cut in half when Maddie leaves for Austin in the fall.

I honestly did not realize how hard it was going to hit Susannah for Maddie to go away to college.  Here is a post she put on Facebook last month, right after Maddie made a decision to attend UT, evoking buckets of tears in our family.

Susannah's caption reads, "I'm gonna miss you so much next year."  (And a sad face with a tear.)  Madeline's reply, "Aw, Susannah, why do you do this to me,  I love you so much."  (With frowny face and hearts!)  The picture in the center is of the two of them singing at a fund raiser at The Grease Monkey.  Singing and acting are talents they definitely share.  The picture above and to the right is of them in costume for last year's musical, Sweeney Todd. The one I love the most is in the bottom left corner.  It is Madeline fixing Susannah's hair for a special occasion.  She also does her makeup--both beautifully.  The one of them holding the orange sign (which says "Oh, Susannah) is after Susannah competed in Martin Idol.  Madeline and her friends were a boisterous cheering section for Susie.  (She told me it was pretty great having a senior sister!)

The senior show choir members had Pops Night recently. I want you to see Susie's ad in the program for Maddie.

 Again, I'm going to have to interpret this, as I had to just photograph it.  At the top it says, "SISTERS...SISTERS  there were never such devoted sisters!  Sharing, caring, every little thing we are wearing...'Thanks for being my adviser, comforter, hairdresser, makeup artist, and best friend!  Not sure what I'm gonna do without you next year.  Love you :) - Susie"   So precious and so true.

What I also LOVE is a line from the song which is over to the left of the center picture.  "Lord help the sister who comes between me and my mister!!!"  That picture was taken on Martin Idol night when  Susannah just happened to be standing between Maddie and "her man," Thomas!!!  Couldn't have planned it better!!!

This life has held so many blessings for me that were unexpected.  Getting to experience the marvelous bonds of sisterhood through these two special creatures is one of the best.  This verse again expresses my feelings (and those of Susan and Rob in their ad for Madeline.)  "Now to Him who by the power at work within us is able to do far more abundantly than all we ask or think, to Him be glory...in Christ Jesus for ever and ever."  Ephesians 3:20-21