Sisters

Recently I had a friend say to me...
I just love listening to you two.

Who? Us? Why?

Because I don't have a sister and it's fun to see how you two interact.

She was talking about my sister, Becky, and I exchanging casual banter.
I've been thinking about that comment for the past few days. Sisters. I know not every sister combination is like Becky and I, but wouldn't it be cool if most were? See, my sister and I are not just friends, we're best friends. I can be brutally honest with her and she with me. We will joke, laugh, cry, console, or not talk at all. Secrets don't exist between us and even hell couldn't keep us apart. That's our relationship. That's the only relationship that I've known with her. Sure we've had our ups and downs, but that's all they were. We, like most people should, just get over disputes.

This past Wednesday, I had a scare like I've never experience before. Becky was in a car accident, but at the time of receiving the phone call, I had no idea what condition she was in. And if she was ok I was then afraid that something would be wrong with her baby. I was afraid for her, for the baby. That's my sister. Nothing can be wrong with her. She is suppose to be perfectly fine. Period.

Praise to God that she and the baby are in perfect condition.

But, what is it with sisters? A sisters' bond is thick. More knotted together and closely woven. It's intertwined. There is an underlying connection between ourselves, our pasts, our presents, and our futures. We pick up where the other one drops off. We give and we take. And at the end of each day, we accept and respect eachothers differences.

Thank you, Christy, for helping me recognize my relationship with my sister.

Thank you, mom and dad, for creating me to be a sister.

Thank you, Becky, for being a wonderful big sister. We have been great sisters for 27+ years!!!

Annabelle and Katie Jane, I wish for you to grow closer everyday!! They have been sisters for 4 years!

Feel free to post a photo of you and your sister(s) and let us know how long you have been sisters!!!

rethink

Here's what I want. I want to be home with my kids. I want Shawn to be home with his kids. I want our kids to never know their parents to have to go to 'work'. I want to give Shawn a life that I can't even imagine for us. I want to fly first class and do it without blinking an eye. I want my kids to have the opportunity to try and do everything their hearts desire, and I say GO FOR IT! I want our alarm clock to be our kids. I want my parents and siblings and their families to be able to take trips with us, whenever and whereever we decide to go. I WANT MORE FAMILY TIME! And I know it's possible.

But most importantly, I want to give. I want to give back to the church that I love so deeply. I want to be able to go to Mass every morning and be able to take my kids with me. I would love to go to a country that needs help and be able to build schools, doctor's offices, and wells for clean drinking water.

I know you're probably thinking, Sarah you're absolutely nuts. That could never happen. Both parents able to stay home? Unless you win the lottery, yeah, right!  Yeah right is right! I know people everyday leaving their 'jobs' (and I say jobs because a lot of people don't like going to their careers) and staying home with their families. Taking trips, experiencing life, and expecting more from life. Expecting more for themselves. 

And so, I've been praying. Praying for a sign, or opportunity to cross my path with God pointing, saying, this is what you need to do.

It took almost a full year for me to get that sign. But I have no doubt in my mind that I've gotten it. Shawn and I get to help others, and that in return, it puts extra money in our pocket. We can do it from home and with little time put into it. It's a business. A very well designed, very lucrative business. And I'm talking a potentially six figure, side business. We both believe that this is how we'll get to stay home with our kids. Getting to watch our children grow into little people, and into adults.

I know there are many people who bring in very good pay checks. But I also know that they work 60+ hours a week. Waking up, going to work, getting home late, missing family functions and kids games, sleep, repeat. Is that life? Or living?

Recently, I was blessed to hear Frank Luntz talk. He is a close hand to many high authority people, including the President, because of his knowlege of politics and the English language. A man who works in Washington and sees the in's and out's of every political move, is afraid of our economics. He is worried about where our country is going. Well of course that frightened me also. But, he did say that businesses and companies that are multi-leveled are the most secure. They are teams. Working together. Everyone does better when they work as a team. He said, "Don't help them because it helps you. Help them because it helps America."

I liked that. I know about team work. I can do teams!

So Shawn and I joined a team. And that entire team, not just Shawn and I, want to see us reach our dreams. What business do you know of cares about your dreams? What business do you know of that will openly pray with you, asking for your dreams to be reached? I don't know of any.

At first, I had every excuse not to join this business, and 'team'. I'm too busy. I've got family obligations. I've got this and that to do. Ugh, I'm too (fill in the blank)________.
Guess what. Excuses don't set you free. Excuses won't do anything for you but keep you where you are. And most importantly, to me, excuses won't help me reach my dreams.

I believe with all my heart that God wanted you to read this. I don't know what you're wanting out of life and I'm definitely not trying to pressure anyone to join us, but I am trying to challenge people to rethink their life. Rethink how long it's going to take them to be free from a 9-5, part time, grave yard shift, disappointing, hair pulling, insecure job. Rethink that age of 65 when 'the man' says you get to live your life now. Rethink the possibilities of what God may have in store for you if you took a chance.

Rethink.

Live life extreme. Live first class.