I haven’t written a new post in a few weeks because I’ve been spending time with my family in Arkansas and then one of my favorite family members, my sister-in-law Mandy, came back to Florida with me! I’ve been with her for one week straight today and I just can’t seem to get enough of her. Ah, the story of me and Mandy is a great one. I met her when I was 12 years old. I instantly connected with her even though she is 6 years older than me. I can only imagine what she thought when she met me because I have always been one who isn’t shy and loves to meet and talk to new people. I was a very precocious little girl with a “look at me!” attitude. I wanted all of her attention and she gave it to me! That right there made my 12 year old heart instantly love her. Although she and my brother were teenagers with their own social lives, she made me feel included and let me know that she cared about me. When they got married and then moved to a town an hour and a half away, I was sad and just looked forward to their visits home. As I got older, I would go visit them and talk to her about my friends and boys. I was one of those kids that always thought I was right but she had a way of getting me to think differently about things and people. When I went to college and then failed out and had to return home, she was the one that kept me calm and rational. The day after my mom moved me home from college I was so upset that I wanted to run away. She talked me out of that pretty quickly. I have always listened to her more than anyone else. One thing she couldn’t talk me out of was joining the Army. When I left for my tour of duty in Germany, we cried. When I returned home after my time served, we celebrated! We had babies together and relished in being together again finally. Then I decided to move to Florida, and we cried again but we have stayed just as close as ever even through the distance. She and I have a special bond, one that has helped me and shaped me into who I am and where I am today. We aren’t blood related but I am closer to her than any other family member. From day one, she took interest in me and never stopped. We love each other so much that keeping in touch is no effort, it just happens. We call and text each other all the time, we share all of our secrets with each other. I know her inside and out and she knows me the same. A bond can be instant and is never lost, but it must be nurtured and developed over time to be relevant and fruitful. I love you Mandy! Blood is not always thicker than water. The relationships that make us, are the ones that count.