Tricia

First, let me give you some family background. I have two parents (ha!), a grandfather who is alive, a grandmother who is alive, two older brothers, an older sister, and a younger sister. Tricia is my older sister.

Growing up, Tricia would drive me crazy! She and I probably could not be more opposite in personality, although if you met us, you'd probably think we are just alike. Let me start with the differences. Like I said, growing up with her was such a pain for me! :) She was, in my mind, the perfect child. She always liked to be home, she had a great relationship with my parents, and she was so giving of her money. I, on the other hand, wanted to be at friends' houses. I loved to spend my money on myself. I was close to my parents, but never would have considered them my best friends growing up- that's why you have FRIENDS, right?

Tricia is 3 years older than I am. We did fight a lot. She always was in that next phase, and I was the immature little sister. Once we hit high school though, and I was a freshman and she was a senior, we started becoming actual friends. I will say that even though I felt like we fought a lot, we definitely were always very close- don't get me wrong.

To this day, Tricia is the home-body. She really gets stressed if she has to go anywhere. She laughs at how much I love to run, even with 5 kids. That has not changed in our personalities. She is very much a family-oriented person. Her giving hasn't changed either. She and her husband, Dave, have 5 children of their own and then adopted a little girl, which gave them 3 boys and 3 girls. They still have a heart for adoption and are burning with desire to adopt again.
She is one of the most unselfish people I know. I love that about her. If anything, I think she needs to ask for help or at least take people up on their offers to help her. It's not pride on her part. She just hates to put people out.

But when you meet us, you can definitely tell we are sisters. We are always laughing! She is one (and even more when Dave is around) who I can laugh so so so hard with over the dumbest things! You know when you are tired and just get laughing and acting silly? I'm like that any time of the day with Tricia. Everything is funny!

I love her family. There are some people who have one child, and even that is a handful for them. Every one of Tricia's kids is a joy. I mean that. I love when they are all over here to play. My kids love them too. Even with 11 kids in one house, and just two adults, it's not chaotic. It's amazing! Tricia and Dave have raised their children to love God, and to respect authority.

The main thing that I love about Tricia, and I am finding this with many of my friends, is her perspective. It is much different than mine. Dave and I are alike in personality. Tricia is a lot like Scott. Dave and I both love words of affirmation and Tricia and Scott struggle with giving words. It's funny. Tricia and Scott are service people, and Dave and I have a hard time accepting that as their way of showing us love. In the times that I struggle with Scott, Tricia is a great sounding board for me. She helps me to see the other side. She explains it in ways that Scott doesn't (because she's a woman) and it helps me to calm down and just understand.

So although growing up I thought that God gave me another mother by giving me Tricia (who liked to tell me what to do), I have grown to realize that I could not be more blessed with someone other than Tricia. I think she has kept me grounded- I'm like a balloon going up in the air, and she kind of holds the string and pulls me down to reality when I get out there too far! :) Yeah, she would not let me just float away. She cares too much...and will always be that motherly sister who will tell me just how it needs to be done!