I've always loved my siblings. We are all fairly close in age so we have always had a special bond. I didn't really realize how much I loved them until we were all divided and moved out. Suddenly I find myself being ten times more proud of them, ten times happier when I see them, and ten times more soft when talking about them. By soft, I'm referring to how I have such a soft spot for them. Like the time someone at church asked me what Jill is doing for school and I teared up talking about her just because of how proud I am to call her my sister. This is not an unusual occurrence, but I consider it a blessing to love these amazing people so much. My love language is words of affirmation so I thought it was about time I sat down and wrote an actual tribute to them. Then everyone can see how soft I actually am for my siblings.
Amanda
My big sister. Everything I do is kind of because of her. She quite literally showed me the way. I'm convinced she knows the answer to any question, remembers every weird memory from the early 2000's and will always be up for an inappropriately timed burst of laughter. There have been a few times where I have been so discouraged and distraught and I receive a detailed google doc with a list of ways to help. Whether it's meal prepping, organizational tips, ways to enjoy fitness and exercise, she knows it all and will gladly help. I know she would drop anything to help me out. It hasn't all been good times. Like the time we got in a literal slap fight on her birthday (we were very young and I'm pretty sure it was over a movie choice), or those early morning seminary days where she had to fight to get me up and going. There have even been nights where we both absolutely refused to turn off our bedroom light and went back and forth for quite awhile saying "Well I guess we're sleeping with the light on tonight because I am NOT getting up to turn it off" Spoiler: It always ended up being her turning it off. There have been more good times than bad and I don't think I could ever really repay her for all she has done for me. I look up to her so much. I'll never forget the moment I watched her walk down the aisle and just felt so thankful that I will have her in my life forever. We talk everyday and I wouldn't have it any other way.
Jill
I have always been proud of Jill. We had the opportunity to work closely together in many stage productions in middle and high school. You would think working in such close quarters with someone for so many hours all week, to then come home and spend more time together would get old. But I actually found myself laying in her bed when we were apart because I missed her. Isn't that what dogs do when they miss their owners? Anyways, come to think of it now we were pretty inseparable those years. She has the best laugh. It's the type of laugh where you can tell she actually thinks what you said is funny. It is so contagious and I laugh so hard with her. My favourite thing about Jill has always been her curiosity for the lives of other people. Not in a nosy way, but in the way that she really wants to know about your life. She asks good questions and listens to your answers. She sings like an angel. Like seriously, when I go to heaven I fully expect those angels to sound like Jillian Sarah Leavitt. She is so talented but she is so humble. She is already successful, but when she really makes it big I will be in the front row of her Broadway show. When it was her turn to move away, I had a really difficult time with it. My little sister was moving across Canada to study musical theatre and make her dreams come true. It doesn't get any easier. Every time I say goodbye to her it hurts all over again. The last time I saw her I cried and said "You're too little to be living out there" She is capable and strong but she will always be my little sister. The distance will never get easier but I am so proud of her.
Holly
I love Holly. At the end of the summer last year, I interviewed each member of my family. In Holly's interview She told me that she considers herself a boring person. I disagree so strongly. I love talking with Holly and hearing about her life. She is the star of her job. Like if you're in Abbotsford and you take a look at the wall of produce at the farmers market she works at, it is stunning and it is all her hard work. She has so much drive to be a hard worker in everything she does. That is a quality I wish I had more of. We worked together as nannies for a few years and it was some of the best moments of my life. Something about diaper explosions, screaming babies, crazy dogs, and being stuck together for hours on end just brings people closer. Those Covid days were rough but we got to spend so much time together. I think this is when our relationship really started to grow stronger. I have always admired her love for children and her natural ability to get along with them. I can't wait for her to be an aunty to my babies one day. She is so much fun and she is hilarious. She is also drop dead gorgeous. Like seriously, look at her. I wish I was more like her in so many ways and I work to be like her everyday. She graduated high school last year and when I called her on the morning of her senior prom, it made literal tears run down my face. She was all grown up and I am so proud of her.
Luke
"Four sisters and the only boy?? Your poor brother" Luke is such a good sport having grown up with four older sisters. I'm sure this has it's highs and lows but he is such an important part of our family. We were all obsessed with him right from the start. From the time we dressed him up as Snow White (dress, high heels, wig, the whole getup) to the time we invented the game called "Beat up baby" where we would lay him on the trampoline and throw him around as we jumped. It all came from a place of cute aggression and luckily he made it out in one piece. I remember as a young child thinking of the day Luke would be a teenager. It always seemed so far away, yet here we are now. He has grown into such an amazing young man. He is one of my closest friends. He has been so patient while trying to teach me things about music (he is a musical genius) only for me to just go back to the four guitar chords and five songs I know. He has two albums released on multiple music streaming platforms. If you didn't know that, it's probably because he is so humble about it. He puts up with a lot and I wish I could bubble wrap him and keep him safe but he is so independent, he is going to go very far in his life. I am sad I have had to watch him grow up over FaceTime the past few years, but I look forward to being friends with him forever. If he'll let me, because let's be real, he is way cooler than I am.
Ethan
So somehow Ethan and I don't have one photo together with just the two of us. But I couldn't leave him out of this post. Manda and I thought long and hard about our husbands when we were growing up. What would they be like? Would they be friends? Did they match up to our list of husband qualities we would not settle for anything less on? Ethan is perfect for my sister. He has been such an amazing big brother to all of us ever since he joined our family. I really do miss him everyday. He is such a great friend to Brody and I love their bond they have. When Ethan first came over as my sister's boyfriend (coming up on four years ago!) I noticed first off how tall he was and also his confidence. Whether he is confident or not, he is such a great example to me of a kind, genuine, happy, curious person. I know that he really wants to know about my life and what I am up to. He is so fun and funny and the life of the party wherever he goes. Our family wouldn't be the same without him.
If you made it this far, I appreciate it. If you are ever lucky enough to know my siblings, take advantage of the opportunity. They are really great.
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