ROADTRIPPIN - MY BIG SISTER FRAN

We all have heroes in our lives – and I was blessed with a few. Second only to my dad (who is her hero too) is my big sister, Fran. She’s always been there. She was 13 when I was born, and even had to share a room with me as a newborn and toddler (and never complains about it). She got stuck with my 2 a.m. feedings, because I had awakened her anyway. She used to make us matching dresses, which I absolutely loved. And she is the reason I play the piano, wanting to be as good at playing as she is.

   And it’s not just me that thinks she’s pretty amazing. She has a wonderful husband of 42 years – and they have 8 kids. After raising 5 nearly-perfect kids, as they were all growing up and moving to college, etc. – she decided that she really wanted to adopt 3 Russian orphans, siblings. Even the City of Centerville Utah named her “Mother of the Year” a few years ago. And you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone with anything but good to say about her. I know all of her flaws, and it’s a really, really, really short list.

   She left for college at BYU the week I started Kindergarten in California, and we’ve never lived under the same roof since I was age 5. But still, she has always been a big part of my life. When I was 8, she bought me a bicycle for my birthday – and she was the one in the Dressing Room with me when I got Baptized. When I was 10 she got married, and at age 11 I was the first aunt in my elementary school. And since I was young, fun, and didn’t have kids – I got to be the “Favorite Aunt” to all of her kids (and I’ve taught them that I was the favorite since they were very little).

   And despite the fact that she and I are as different as black and white (yes, I’m the black sheep) – she’s never been judgmental or treated me as anything but her favorite little sister. We live very different lives, but we also see eye-to-eye on most things (especially the important ones). And we were in perfect sync when it came to settling my parents’ affairs – and that is a very rare thing.

  So roadtripping is great, and being in Nauvoo is fabulous – but the best part of this whole trip is that I get to spend time with my hero – my big sister. (Oh, and she’s probably going to kill me for talking her up like this. She’s pretty darn humble too!)