Like many siblings close in age, my younger sister and I have had our fair share of fights over the past 17 years of her life. From initial fascination with the new addition to my household, to horror when she began to think my things were hers (a habit that hasn't seemed to go away), to sleeping in the same bed given any chance, a sister is someone that changes your world by changing you. The relationship can be impossible to explain at times because you simultaneously want to shout at her while you can't believe how lucky you are to have her.
When I decided that I wanted to study abroad for a whole semester, meaning that I would go an entire semester without seeing my sister or hugging my sister or laughing with her at our home movies or having her help me through any problem I might have or just take a drive in her convertible, blaring One Direction, she was my biggest supporter. At every tough decision in my life and hers, we have been together. All the big moments and accomplishments have been shared with her first and celebrated together, but now I'm out in the world on my own.
I think that the reason we work together so well is that we can balance each other out. When I am worried and scared, she is confident and determined. When she is angry and screaming, I can make her realize how ridiculous she's being and dissolve into a fit of laughter together. Having to figure out a foreign country without her is difficult, but getting to experience so many amazing things and not being able to share those experiences with her is even harder.
We talk everyday and update each other on the most minute details of our days as often as possible, but what I miss the most about home is laying on the floor of my bedroom (because she's taking up my whole bed), listening to music, talking, deciding which pair of sisters are our celebrity twins, sitting in silence and just feeling completely content. My home is wherever she is. End of story.
Hers is the embrace that I know will make me cry in two months, when I step off that plane and I wouldn't be all that surprised if she tackles me to the floor right there in the airport.
Today, my baby sister is 17 years old and it rips my heart into shreds that I'm missing her birthday for the first time in all these years, but at least I'm missing you turn such a boring age, no offense. She's Kaitlyn Freakin' Marie Hilbert, she's bossy and talks too loud but I wouldn't want her any other way. Kait, I love you like a sister (lol).
