My Big Sister.

The Olsen’s have been and always will be stunning.

I'm writing about my sister, S, because first of all it's her birthday today, and second of all she’s been the one that’s always there for me, no matter what, the one I look up to the most.
Something you should first know about S is that she was always the star student; she always went above and beyond on everything, big or small. My sister is like a space ship, always shooting for the stars, always reaching, but prepared for the unknown. She absolutely never let anyone tell her that she couldn't do something, and if they did, that was just more motivation for her, more fuel in the fire for her to burn, to prove them wrong. You can ask any of her old teachers, they really wouldn't doubt it if she ruled the world someday. One of the things I admire about S the most is how she constantly encourages me to reach my full potential. I half-ass everything in school, which I know is something I’ll regret later, but right now I just don’t care. Whether it is in academics, athletics, or just at home she always had more faith in me then I had in myself. If I could describe my sister with one word, extraordinary would be my choice, yet it would still be an understatement.

Like me, my sister suffered from an eating disorder. Well, I’m pretty sure she did at least. She never ate dinner with us, but would almost always cook our meal. Just like me, she loved to cook, bake, and even grill, but never ate what she made. She was always eating weird food, like cucumbers with vinegar salt and pepper, fat free cottage cheese, quark (spl?), and tons of other weird combinations of bland food (much what I eat like come to think of it). She never drank tap water, only Smart Water (electrolytes.. duh) or DDP (Diet Dr. Pepper for those of you who had no idea what that was), an average of 5-7 cans a day! My sister still to this day has a really weird body type. She had the tiniest waist ever, and really muscular legs. She has a skeletal looking face, and like zero body fat anywhere on her. She has a 6 pack for cryin out loud, no fair! I’m pretty sure she’s recovered though, she’s still lean, but maybe has added 10 lbs. since her “ED” days. She looks good in my opinion.

My sister was perhaps just as secretive as me. She told me about how she used to tell our parents she was going away for the weekend for debate (she placed state many times throughout high school.. yeah I know she was great at everything ), when really she was going down to Mizzou or another college for big frat parties. My sister lived a few duel lives. She was too kind and caring at home, but at school she never put up with shit like she did with my parents. When she was a freshman a guy was being a douche to her and she slammed him into a locker. That was the last time anyone messed with her. She also was this really hard worker at school and at home, but at night she was crazy, she loved to go out and party. And lastly she was the girl everyone at school wished they could be, she appeared to live this picture perfect life, but really she struggled with her confidence and self-image.

I know we didn't always get along, my mom and dad used to tell me how I ripped S’s panda drawing when she was 11, which at the time was her most prized possession, and how I would always bite (yes bite..) her. Being the middle child now, I have the power (it’s there, just limited… lol) over my younger brother, but S still has the power over me. Since I was the youngest at the time though, there was nothing S could do about that legendary panda painting. She would just have to deal. Our relationship wasn't always smooth sailing though; sometimes we would get along great and sometimes not so much. For the months leading up to her wedding, I didn’t talk to her at all. I was so disappointed with her choice in the guy she was going to marry. He just didn’t seem like her type. Yeah, I see what she sees in him now; he’s funny, cute, charismatic, and really sweet and caring. I just didn’t see that before. When I used to think of her fiancé, all I thought of was how he ruined her potential to be all she could, how he stole her from Yale just so he could be with her. I thought he was selfish, and I despised him. I also thought he changed her as a person, which in reality I guess he actually did, but he changed her for the better. Now that I think about it, I guess I was just jealous, I was afraid that my sister would be taken from me. I didn’t want to get hurt, not again. Recently however, we've been getting along really well. We usually Skype at least once a week and try to keep each other updated about everything. I like being close to her again!

A year ago S graduated from Emory University, in Atlanta, Georgia. As she walked up to receive her diploma it screamed, "You earned me!”. After declining a full ride scholarship to Yale, she will now attend the University of Washington in Seattle, also on a full ride scholarship. This university has the best psychology program in the nation, and quite possibly the world. This is where she now calls home in her $600,000+ spacious home with her husband, D, and kitten, Z. She plans on getting her PhD in psychology specializing in Child psychology. S is going places, and I dedicate this post to her. Hopefully she never sees this though, because then my secret’s been let out.

S means the world to me, and I would die for her in an instant, without even thinking about it. I think everyone should have someone in their life they would do this for, someone they look up to as much as I do to S. Someone that makes life worth living for, even when the times get so tough you’re not sure if it’s worth it.

xoxo Sarah