Sunday, 5 July 2009

In praise of sisters-in-law


Me and my brother, taken by my sister-in-law, originally uploaded by The List Writer.

One of the things I love about getting older is the bigger family you have as an adult.

As a child my family was very straightforward: siblings and parents, and grandparents on high days and holidays. Now, my family is so much bigger and more complicated to explain. Nephews, sisters-in-law, my partner's grandparents, neices, brothers-in-law, my sister's mother-in-law - all these extra people are now a part of a very extended family; I love it. And in the years to come, hopefully there will also be sons-in-law, grandchildren, nephew's wives and all sorts of other characters to add to the mix.

I spent a happy day yesterday, sewing a quilt with one of my three sisters-in-law. It made me reflect that all of them are very different but equally loveable. Here's why:

  • one of them takes the best photos in the world
  • one of them sees these clothes pegs and knows how much I would love them
  • one of them understands all about being married to a twin
  • they all love my children and relish being aunties
  • they are all very accepting and laid-back
  • they will go on knicker-making workshops with me and snort with laughter at the word 'gusset'
  • all of them sit very happily in a halfway land between sister and close friend. Not one thing nor the other, but in many ways a bit of both.

Love 'em!

7 comments:

  1. Extended family is great, having half brothers and sisters and step parents used to be hard work but now it just means more people to have fun with. I'm also fortunate like you that I have a great sister-in-law.

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  2. Oh you are lucky, I'm not quite that lucky, but i hold out hope for my brothers current girlfriends. Oh to be an aunt!

    I wish I had someone to go to workshops with!

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  3. Yup - my sister-in-law is fab too. Doubly appreciated because I have no sisters.

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  4. Oh, aren't you lucky. I admire my sister in law but I'm not sure she feels the same about me!

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  5. I have 2, one I love with all my heart, the other just happens to be my sister in law. yours sound very special and I love those pegs!

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  6. I have a fabulous sister in law as well, although we don't see each other as much as we should! Hopefully she is reading this though, so if you are Nic, do you fancy a shopping trip soon?! (sorry Nancy!!-your blog has now turned into a social networking site!) I can't see me and her attending knicker making workshops together though...x

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  7. Hey, my sister-in-law, I feel I couldn't have got a better set either. :-)

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