I come from an average American family: a mother, a father, and two daughters.
Each member of my family has made an impact on me in some way or another (Especially my food allergies. Thanks, Dad), but my little sister Maggie has made the biggest impact on my short life.
Everyone talks about how they go out and do things with their little sister because it's "sister bonding time" or something like that. With Maggie it's a little different. We are two totally different people, in both our looks and personalities. If you put Maggie and I side-by-side, you could kind of tell we're sisters but Maggie takes after my Grandma's Italian ancestors: slim body, straight-nose, and fiery red-hair to match her fiery personality. I take after Mom and Grandpa Holm's Nordic, Anglo-Saxon ancestors: curvy, button-nose, and sunny blonde hair (If I could insert the hair-flippy emoticon, I would). Personality wise, we're even more different. I'm super bubbly and kind-hearted, whereas Maggie is shyer and...well, stubborn. But out of all of our differences, the biggest one has to be that Maggie has autism and I'm normal (in a sense, but nonetheless normal.).
Maggie was diagnosed with autism when she was about eighteen-months old. The doctors were convinced that she would never talk, walk on her on, or even use the toilet. There wasn't a lot of support networks for parents with autistic children, since autism was such a new diagnosis in the nineties. From what my mom has told me, it was really hard on everyone in our family, my mom, my dad, even my second cousins were sad for us. I was three, about to turn four, at the time of Maggie's diagnosis, so I had no idea what was going on at the time, just that Maggie would run away from us at Toys-R-Us and undress in public. All I knew was that if I asked God nicely, then He would maybe make Maggie normal one day.
As the years went by, Maggie proved many people wrong. By the time she was six, she was in kindergarten and was able to speak in full sentences (She could even use the bathroom on her own and STILL remember to wash her hands). Maggie was definitely more vocal, I tell you what. She was, and still is, one of the bossiest people I've ever met. If she wanted chocolate, you better give that child some chocolate. If you didn't obey her commands, bad things would come (I still have a scar from where she bit me when we were kids.). As my mom used to say, "If some creep kidnapped her, he'd leave her at the nearest Walmart". Growing up with Maggie wasn't a walk in the park, dear readers. Like any older sibling, I would have to let her tag along whenever my friends and I would hang out. She wasn't the easiest person to hang out with, but as time when on she learned how to behave around others and knew when she needed her alone time.
Maggie has taught me great patience and that people are different, so respect their differences or so help me you might end up with a black eye (I have a treasure trove of stories where Maggie puts people in their place). One of the best moments of my time with Maggie was at our cousin's wedding. We all had a great time, nobody left anyone at the altar, everyone was sober, and they served Babe's chicken, which made the night even more magical (Oh and the bride and groom were Red Raiders. The bride was even a Theta.) I think the best part of the night was when everyone started dancing. Let's just say Maggie made twerking cool before Miley did. Of course my Baptist relatives were scarred for life, but my mom, dad, and I found this highly amusing.
