Sisters

Sisters

          It’s no secret that I love Christmas music. Students walk into my classroom every morning, and if Christmas music is playing, they know they need to follow morning procedure particularly well because something is up with the teacher. Addie hears Christmas music and asks me to sing along. “Again! Again!” she requests, even though singing has never been one of my strengths. Jeff hears Christmas music and rolls his eyes as he walks away. “It’s not even December!” But he doesn’t turn my music off. When I was in labor, I sang I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas, even though Christmas had just passed and I was trying desperately to shave my legs in the most painful shower of my life. It will relax me. If I am relaxed, the baby will be happy and the delivery will be smooth. She’s not supposed to come yet, so we both need to relax.

           People who know me know that I need Christmas music.

          But why? It doesn’t matter if it is churchy music (except for glooooooooooorrrrrrrrrrrriiiiiiiaaaaa – it drives me nuts that they need to drag that word out soooooo long!) or children’s music (I have clay-mation classics and Frosty movies galore!) or music with no words. Except for that one song, I adore all Christmas music. I hear Tran Siberian Orchestra and think of my parents. My mom was crushed with the blizzards of 2008 when Becky’s flight was delayed and her Christmas surprise of driving in a Hummer limo, listening to Christmas music and looking at Christmas lights had to be postponed. She loved Christmas too and most of her craft fair entries were Christmas related (her biggest sellers were “Santa Bags” and the many angels she and my dad made together).

          Christmas music is important to me because it is the piece of Christmas that I can have anywhere, anytime at a very low price of running a CD player, and music is a time machine to take us to where the music entered our souls.

          I was eleven or twelve. Becky was seven or eight. Christmas was coming! We weren’t unexcited about Santa, but that wasn’t why we were all smiles! We hung out in her room, listening to a countdown of Christmas songs, and sung at the top of our lungs as we wrapped the thoughtfully sought out Christmas gifts for everyone we loved and added our own personal touches.

          After countless rounds of The Twelve Days of Christmas, we were hoarse and we heard Mom calling everyone to dinner a little earlier than usual. Was she calling us early because dinner happened to finish cooking early? Was she sick of the song? The singing? I think she heard the love and joy of best friend sisters and was ready for the family to bond as a whole.

          What’s better than having a sister who happens to be a best friend also? Having a mother who is like a sister, and then having brothers who pick incredible wives to be sisters with us! Becky, Mom, and I had something special. We still do. We always will. Now, though, our special sisterhood has expanded to Mandi and Bonnie, and Kali and Addie are fitting in perfectly!

          I sure am one lucky sister!