A Tale of Two Sisters

Growing up as a kid, I always wished my parents would have had more kids. I had always wanted a little brother or another sibling for my sister and I to play with. Being it just the two of us and 2 years apart in age, we have had our share of hair pulling (literally) sibling rivalry. Not only are Cally and I close in age, we also share the same temperament, sense of humor, road rage and fashion sense (which now sadly revolves around sweatpants, t-shirts and pony tails with headbands). And not to mention that we look a lot alike, especially as kids. We both had long blond hair and blue eyes to match and the same exact laugh. The only way some people could tell us apart was by our height difference. As we got older, I stopped caring about the fact that it was just the two of us, but actually reveled in it. I loved that we shared so much. Sisters share a sacred bond that is unexplainable. It doesn't matter how far apart we are or how long we go without seeing each other, we have something that no one else in the entire world has with us. Both our own person, having our separate lives, friends and activities, but together we are a whole. She is the other half of me. Without a Cally the world (in my eyes) isn't as big, the sun not so bright, and the stars would have half the sparkle. Cally, this blogs for you. I know it's a probably over the top with sappiness and mush, and that's okay. I figure you need something to read during the days while you're at home still recovering with the baby Tyler. This will have to be a series of posts because there isn't enough time in the day to get it all out at once. OK, so here it goes. A synopsis if you will of the very early years of Matt and Cally's relationship. Warning, details may not be exact replica of actual truth (meaning, this is from my memory, not from Cally's).
Sept. 2005: Matt finally proposes to Cally after she gave him the ultimatum. Not that he was forced into marriage, just that he needed a little shove in the right direction. It basically went like this...Cally: "Matt, if you don't propose by such and such date, I am breaking up with you." Matt: "Uh, ok." Well a few months go by and this so-called "such and such" date arrives and Matt has big dinner plans for them on this particular night. They have reservations at a fancy restaurant and Cally probably was hoping that he would propose so she didn't have to break up with him somewhere between the filet mignon and the chocolate souffle. Nothing ruins a good expensive meal more than a break up.. They ate dinner. Nothing. They had some drinks. Still nothing. Things were winding down for the night and this is where things get a little fuzzy on my end. Dessert finally made its way out to the table and it was nearing 10pm I think. Waiting for the very last minute in typical Matt fashion, he pops the question! Like I said, things get a little fuzzy here, I can't remember if Cally screamed, "Good God! Look at that huge rock!" or if she mumbled in a pretend cry voice, "About time," before finally giving Matt the answer he was waiting for. Yay! for them, and YAY for me too, now I get to write a speech for their wedding. Obviously I am way over confident in my writing skills because I couldn't wait to get started. For months I would get out my pen and paper at night and try to come up with something so touching, or funny but most of all I wanted my speech to be a one of a kind, unforgettable speech that Cally and Matt would be proud of forever. Ambitious much? Probably. Here's the thing though about having a life's worth of memories about someone. Trying to put those thoughts on paper wasn't working for me. Finally the wedding day came, and I had written a couple sentences at most. Somehow between the "You two are a beautiful couple" and the "Cally, you've been the best sister any sister could ever have" nonsense, nothing felt right so I decided to wing it. It's not like me to ditch my safety net of having everything written down on paper so I don't get up there when it's time for my speech and look like a lost, stumbling (and worst of all sober) idiot, fumbling over my words. But I did it. I winged it. My speech consisted of a story centered around the time we were probably 7 (me) and 5yrs. old (Cal). Cally got mad at me for something and ended up biting her own arm so hard it bled, just so she could cry real tears and blame it on me. I don't know why I chose to tell that story and I can't say I wish I didn't, but I would have never still to this day found the words. So, Cal, if you were wondering why my speech wasn't so heart felt, that is why. It's not because I just didn't care enough to make sure it was perfect. It just was never perfect enough for my one and only sister. The sad thing about not knowing what to say at times is that for me, I always find the words I am looking for when it's too late. When I don't have that special person in my life anymore to tell them in person how I feel, I suddenly know exactly what to say once they're gone. I'm really good at writing eulogies. Isn't that sad? Luckily for you, Cally, you get to read all about yourself, because you are alive. But just don't proof read what I write because it's just not as fun when someone is critiqing their own eulogy. Not that this is your eulogy, because it's not. Let's be clear. It's...a story..of us...TO BE CONTINUED>>

Me and Cally at her and Matt's engagement party It looks like she is touching my boob, but she is just showing off her ring)
Sept. 2005





Matt, Cally and the RING