To my sister-in-law,
Sis. Sister. The one who married my brother. First of all, what is wrong with you? Seriously. Let it sink in. You. Married. My. Brother. You committed to a lifetime of putting up with his grumpiness in the morning, and it’s bad. I KNOW. Be prepared to have a pillow... or two thrown at you. You committed yourself to a lifetime of listening to late night yelling because whatever team in whatever season is not doing well, horrible singing (at least that’s what he calls it) rudely affronting your undeserving ears, weird kitchen experiments and concoctions (cough cheese whiz in Bugels cough), and a million frustrating, intolerable, and just plain weird habits.
So, thank you.
Thank you for not only tolerating but also loving my completely unlovable brother. You and the little family you all comprise make him happier than I have ever seen him without you. I know he is bad with communicating, but I can see it in his actions and expressions. He loves you, and you should know that.
Thank you for loving us as we love you, because our family does love you. I am so grateful that I have not only been given a sister-in-law, because I have been given a sister as well. I know I can always count on you if I need you (to go on Chipotle dates), and that means more than you will ever know. Thank you for wanting to be a part of our crazy family and for being just as crazy as the rest of us.
Thank you for giving me two of the most important people in my world. Thank you for being the mother of my niece and nephew. It might not have been the way anyone planned. However, the birth of my nephew changed my life in the best way imaginable, and I was just as ecstatic to welcome my niece into the world a few years later. Those two little humans are sometimes the only people who can brighten my day, and I love them so much it hurts.
Furthermore, I know they are the center of my brother’s world. Without you, these tiny people who bring so much joy and happiness to our entire family and who I cannot imagine life without would not exist without you. Thank you for being such a great mother to them. They truly are my brother’s children, and consequently, I know they can be hard to handle. However, you always put their needs above your own. You are the best mother they could ever hope for, and I apologize that we do not tell you that often enough.
Finally, I’m sorry. I’m sorry that I was probably just a bratty little sister when you were first introduced to our family, but you have to understand that you were a threat to my security. You were taking away my brother, my protector, and my best friend. However, over time I realized that you were a permanent fixture, and I grew to accept that fact.
hank you for being patient with me. I’m sorry I do not praise you enough. I do not call enough, and I do not tell you how important you are to me and the entire family enough. I hope you always know how grateful we are that my brother found you. You and the family you've created complete our tiny family. Once again, thank you. We love you.
Sincerely,
The Bratty Little Sister You’re Now Stuck With... Forever
