Something magical happened over Easter weekend this year: my sister Corey came to visit…

And never left (well, and she found the $50 egg, which is also awesome).

That’s right, she moved into our house and jumped right in to life with three kids.

She has been fantastic. Seriously. The biggest blessing in my life since, well, I can’t remember. Let me explain why:

Cor, can you watch the kids while I run to the store?
Lu is hungry again? And Dom is screaming and Mo skinned her knee? Corey!
Cor, can you put Mo in time out?
AHHHHHHHHH! That’s a giant spider! Corey!
Hey Cor, Dom filled his pants, could you change them…
Um Cor, can you check if Lu’s poopy?
Auntie Corey! I pooped!- Mo
Would you move the laundry Cor?
Hey Cor, thanks for doing the dishes!
Cor, could you watch Dom while I take the girls to their doctor appointment?
Cor, could you watch the girls while I take Dom to his doctor appointment?
Gah! Psycho kids! Corey, can you watch them outside for a couple (30) minutes?
Wanna go for a walk?
Wanna go to the zoo?
Wanna go pick strawberries?
Wanna help me pit approximately a hundred pounds of cherries?
Are the chickens still out? Man, it’s pouring…Corey?
Corey! I’m late! Can you get the girls in the car?
Cor! Did you hear that? What was that? Oh, just the cats? Good thing you’re here when Andy’s in Tacoma, I was ready to go hide in a corner and call the police…
How many books did you read to Mo?
SO MUCH SCREAMING, Cor I’m just going to go sit outside for a minute, k?
Thanks for watching the kids during date night.
Thanks for watching the kids during my Creighton follow up.
Thanks for watching the kids during Andy’s birthday.
Thanks for the hug Cor.
Thanks for listening to me, for letting me vent, and cry, Cor…I needed that.

Most of these request (pleas, sometimes) interrupt her work on another comic masterpiece, and she rarely ever says “Sorry, I can’t right now”.

Cor,  

You make a tangible difference in my every day life. I know Jessie and I recorded “For Good” for your birthday several years ago, but now I have no doubt. Your presence here changes me for the better. Changes my whole family for the better. The girls are so happy to have an Auntie who plays and reads and draws and sings. Dom barely cries before you’ve picked him up and whisked him away to use Auntie magic until he falls asleep. Andy and I get to connect as a couple sans kids once a week! And you and I get to laugh and joke and debate every day. I can feel the brain atrophy abating as we discuss everything from politics overseas to the latest plants at City Farm. You cook and clean and walk and play and so many other things…it’s like having another parent in the house. But better…because you’re also my sister. I can’t help but think that this is the way humans were supposed to exist. Women especially. The social construct that separates families into tiny little units isolated from one another (often by many, many miles) just doesn’t work as well as chatting with your beautiful sibling every morning over a cup of coffee.

Who knows where you’ll be in a year…where we’ll be in five? We could easily be those siblings living thousands of miles apart. So, I relish this time. I am grateful for this time with you. And even if you’re not a daily part of my children’s lives forever, they will at least have this time to remember, and these photos be reminded of your unfailing and awesome love.

You know, I’m not really kidding when I say you could live with us forever, right? You totally could. I mean, please? Will you? Stay forever? Please?!

Love you. So much.

–Your Biggest Fan and Big(gest) Sister

P.S. Please take more pictures of Lulu like this. They are seriously my favorite.