Sisters

I have never written posts back-to-back like this, but it being Christmas and all.  I figured I would give you guys an extra treat! [Wow. Am I really that vain?] Well this blog is special..it is dedicated to my sister and very best friend Hannah Elaine Reynolds.  She's the one who first inspired me to write anything.
So Hannah is the best sister in the world.  [Don't put it on a mug because that makes it cheesy, but it's true!]  I could not ask for anyone better to be my sister.  Hannah gets me [that could be taken many ways: one she is so lucky to have me, two she is stuck with me, three she understands me..it's the last but really all of the above are appropriate]..and she could be my professional translator [or anyone's for that matter, she has a gift for understanding broken Spanglish, broken Asian English, English broken by crying or chomping on ice].
So we've had some incredible memories over the years.  I cannot even imagine life without her.  [Well for one thing, we are rarely apart ;)].
Hannah is a beautiful, Godly woman.  I admire her for so many reasons.  And those who know her, know how incredibly kind, loyal, and thoughtful she is.  Sometimes I don't show how much I care about her or love her or admire her, but I really do.  I figured this post would show her how much she really means to me.
This is who Hannah is:
Artist--All over our house, we have Hannah's artwork.  It adds a special touch to our home.  And every year, Hannah draws or paints something for me for Christmas or my birthday [January 12th..best day of the year ;)] or both.  The artwork is always so incredibly beautiful.  I am a HUGE Beauty and the Beast fan [check out blog #1 and my profile pic..this is borderline obsession].  She painted a keepsake box with a gorgeous rose on the front.  I also have two framed color penciled drama masks with the "All the world's a stage.." on one and "and all the men and women merely players" on the other.  God bless her for exposing me to some Shakespeare [She is an English Ed major after all].

Author--Wow.  All she could say was wow.  Lemme tell you, this girl has been writing stories since she learned how to hold a pencil.  First "chapter book" she wrote was about her, our best friend Whitney, and me.  It is called A Princess, a Peasant, and an Archer..our roles respectively [I know you expected me to be the princess, but in those days I made a much better archer].  It is really a wonderful story.  And she has wrote so many more and they have become complex novels with twists and turns.  Her imagination absolutely does not stop when she starts to write.  She feels her emotions so deeply which adds so much to her writing but can sometimes be painful in hurtful experiences.  But she pushes through and is a sub-creator [really great essay about being sub-creators written by J.R.R. Tolkien...Hannah wrote a paper about it once..because we are made in the image of God we are able to sub-create in order to glorify God]  I could go on and on about her writing, but why don't you just check out her blog instead..A Writer's Heart.  Phenomenal.

Thoughtful--Seriously, I have never met someone so thoughtful!  She remembers everything..I call her the keeper of the memories.  She knows what people need and is able to show her care for them through random acts of kindness.  I have been so blessed by all the sweet things she does for me!
Prayer Warrior--Hannah has a heart for others and knows the power of prayer.
Loyal--A friend of hers is a friend of life, no matter what happens.
Hilarious--Not everyone sees this side, but those who do, know what I mean.  She has the wittiest, snarkiest humor ever.  She can make me laugh harder than anyone else.
And I say all this to say that I love her with all my heart and that she is so special to me.  People don't always understand the bond that siblings can share.  I am so thankful that I have Hannah in my life.  And I know everyone has special family members or friends that they feel the same about.  I hope you take the time to thank them for being there for you and for caring.  In the world we live in, a loving family is not something to be taken for granted.
And Hannah and I are more than biological sisters, we are sisters in Christ.  For we "have received the Spirit of adoption as sons by whom we cry 'Abba! Father!'"
Thank you Lord for blessing me with a best friend like her.
"And these are the faces we most often have. Smiling and happy we'll always be. Sisters and best friends, you are a part of me."