Because my sisters and I are so close in age, it is no wonder how her friends quickly double as my friends as well. I am very lucky to have my older sibling’s best friends become yet another older brother or sister figure in my life. The way they look out for not only my siblings, but also take the time to get to know me to the point where I consider them my friends too is a feeling unlike any other. For a relationship like this, I would like to say thank you.

Thank you for being as protective as my sisters are. I have almost gotten used to telling my friends, “oh you met my biological family, but I have other siblings you still have to meet too.” From demanding that every boy I date must fill out an application and turn it into you before I get serious with him, to texting me to let me know that my social media posts that day were a little much that day, sending me the perfect break-up remedies so I am never sad, and threatening to send anyone who is ever mean to me an angry direct message even though you live all the way across the country--you all make me feel as though I have plenty of guardian angels looking out for me. The way you all look out for my best interests just solidifies that you really have become, what I consider, another older sibling.

Thank you for being as crazy as my sisters are. From taking me out for a night on the town when my sister was too sick to hangout, to FaceTiming me at the bars with her a week later, just wanting to tell me that you all miss me- I can see why my siblings keep you around. What is funny is that my sister’s friends keep me young and always on my toes instead of vice versa. They were the ones to teach me every word to questionable songs, tell me stories about their college experiences, and make me laugh with memories my siblings would never tell me in a million years until I can feel abs forming from the laughter. You shaped my fun-loving personality even more than my sisters already have.

Thank you for being as respectful and loyal as my sisters are. You are the people that call me on my birthday no matter where you are in the world, text me to see how I am doing after a rough day, or stay up way too late/early in different time zones so I can talk to you about my life. My sister’s friends remember the little quirks about me and keep me under their wing whether I want them to or not. They are the type of people that when I cannot get a hold of my sisters to talk--they are usually my next call. They have become so loyal that the line between friend and family has blurred.

Thank you for adjusting to the role of an additional sibling so well. You have been to my sporting events, cheered me on vicariously through my sisters, sent me encouraging messages, and much more. I have two amazing older siblings and now an additional ten older sisters that are not blood-related that I love just as much. Additionally, I want to give a little spotlight on my sibling’s male friends. I have never had brothers before, but when I think of what I would want a big brother to be like I take different attributes from all my sister's guy friends and mix them into one big superhuman: caring, funny, relaxed, a little bit annoying, and protective. They have helped me through times only describable as needing an honest male perspective. They too have been supporting me like any brother-figure would and it takes me to cloud nine when they tell me that I double as a little sister.

So thank you, life would be way harder and a lot more boring if I never became so close with my older sibling’s best friends. Thank you for making me laugh, getting me through tough times, and filling that role as yet another sister or brother in my life.

xox,o Your Little 'Sis'