We are family

Everyone can see we’re together, as we walk on by
And we fly just like birds of a feather, I won’t tell no lie
All of the people around us they say, Can they be that close
Just let me state for the record… We’re giving love in a family dose.

We are family, I got all my sisters with me
We are family, Get up everybody and sing!

Wow, what a busy couple of weeks it has been. so much to talk about. But I’m going to focus on the most important one first. My lovely family.

Today I’m thinking particularly about my sister Jen who I’m looking forward to seeing again soon. Various things have happened over the last couple of weeks that have made me really appreciate what I have in her friendship and how lucky I am to have her in my family.

So… Jen and I have always been pretty close. We had a pretty idyllic childhood, we’re very lucky to have the family and extended family we have and we’ve always been given love and support by every one of them. We were born 3 years a month and two days apart, and because we have birthdays at the same time of year my folks basically put up party decorations in the house for my birthday and they stayed up then until the New Year. I never think about my own birthday without thinking of hers and Christmas all in with it – as one big two-month-long party!

When Jen was born I was old enough to realise that I shared the responsibility of looking out for her… and there are plenty of pictures of me beaming proudly as I sat with her.

Whilst a little sister was someone that could potentially run off with my toys, she was also a potential source of entertainment and interaction which I have always appreciated. We had great fun making up games to play together. And although at times we irritated the hell out of each other growing up, there was never a question of whether it would be me and her against the world!

Jen was the person who sat with me for my first chemo session… and I wouldn’t / couldn’t have chosen a better person for the job. She’s calm in the face of all the crap that goes with chemo, knows just when to crack a joke to lighten the mood and knows me pretty well so can natter with me for hours. Sat waiting for the chemo nurse that first time, with vats of blue liquid which we weren’t sure were for the machine or me, we managed to talk about all the normal things that girls like to natter about. And whilst I was faced with syringes full of cold bright red liquid that make my veins ache, she was the one who could make me laugh.

Come to think of it, she’s the first person I thought of and spoke to when, about ten and a half years ago, I was having a tough time and thinking about finishing a relationship. Whilst I did talk to friends as well, Jen can tell as much from my silences as she can from what I tell her. She’s never judgemental (well, to my face anyway!) and she knows when not to push me. I totally trust her to manage the conversation with supreme skill. I guess that’s why she’s in the kind of client-facing business she is, too!

If I were drinking champagne, I’d be raising a glass at this point to my lovely sister. But a tasty pint of fresh squeezed orange juice will do for now!

Jen, you’re the best, I love you and I’m looking forward to hanging out again soon! xxx