Where to begin...

Technically, it all began in Wisconsin. In a city called LaCrosse, where we were all born and first became sisters.

Then came Lexington, Kentucky... St. Louis, Missouri... Henderson, Kentucky... and the first goodbye when Sara left for college back in Lexington. I remember feeling so caught off guard when the time finally came for her to leave. It was as if I suddenly realized how much I loved her and felt like I had wasted so much time that could have been spent with her, but now it was too late. In a small way, it was a wake-up call for Emily and I... it must have been a very small way, because we still managed to drive each other pretty crazy until three years later when Mom, Dad, and Emily left for Indianapolis, Indiana and I went of to college in Chicago.

Since then I've gone from Chicago, back to St. Louis, and now to Glenwood, Iowa. Sara has stayed in Lexington, and Emily went from high school in Indy to college in Hanover, Indiana, back to Indianapolis, and now Dominica. Oh my.

Over the past 10 years I have had many conversations with mothers of daughters who are driving each other (and their mother) crazy as well as with young sisters who feel as though their sister was uniquely designed to make their life harder. I have told these mothers and daughters the same thing, "Don't worry. Things will change. My sisters and I drove each other crazy until we stopped living in the same house together, now we are best friends with each other and talk all the time, even though we all live in different states." The mothers would usually smile and say something like, "That's wonderful." or "I sure hope my daughters get to that point some day." The sisters usually say, "Yeah, right." and look at me like my sisters and I must be freaks or something to actually get along with each other.

I think that through it all, the part of our sisterhood that has meant the most to me is that while the three of us each have slightly different relationships with each other, as a threesome, we are so tightly knit. I love knowing that if I haven't talked to Emily for a while, Sara can probably fill me in on what's been going on with her, or vice-verse. No matter how busy life gets or how long it's been between phone calls, I know that my sisters are there - however many miles away - thinking of me, supporting me, encouraging me, and waiting patiently (for the most part) to catch up whenever the chance arrives.

And now, with the arrival of "Sisters Away", we have one more way to keep in touch and shorten the distance between us. Another new beginning... just what we do best. :-)