Posted on November 10, 2008 - by Andy McMahon

My Kid Sister

My kid sister’s name is Heather.  I guess some people would say she’s a little old for me to call her kid sister, but that’s her name.  She is 23, and has a kid of her own.  So, “Kid Sister” is probably a little out of date. I digress.

Heather has grown to be an amazing woman.  As you can tell by reading this blog, the struggles of our childhood were real, and traumatic.  Adrienne and I did our best to protect the youngers, but they still got some backlash.  When Adrienne died, I was not living at home, and I think the realities of every thing we had protected Heather from hit her full force.  Fortunately, Heather was wise enough to know how to handle it by that point, and never took what we had taught her for granted.  She quicky realized what she had only had a glimpse of, and sometimes I think she regrets not realizing it before Adrienne passed.

Somehow, in the recent years, she has, bless her heart, become the mediator for our family.  She talks to everyone and explains things better than we could explain to each other.  She’s wise beyond her years, (Though sometimes I still need to straighten out her views. ha)

She is a runner.  Meaning, whenever crap goes bad, or good, she runs.  She runs to celebrate, she runs to let off steam, she runs.  That what she does.  (Like Forrest Gump, but smarter)I think it’s good.  She has ran marathon’s, and recently (within the last few years) started riding a bike. She is amazing.

I think she always looked up to me, which could put me in blame for some of her issues, but I think all in all, she has learned a lot.  Mostly a lot of what NOT to do, but I like to think she took away some of my good traits too.  I was always able to make her laugh, no matter what situation we were in, and throughout our lives, I don’t think we have ever had a really bad arguement. (Aside from her Ron Paul fiasco, but that was just a learning experience.)

Now, from what Adrienne and I have taught her, she is on her own.  Raising a baby (and a husband)  I couldn’t be more proud of her.  She has overcome so many obstacles, and is making a life, a family, and is well in tune with the curse of genetics she needs to overcome.  It’s a great thing to see her realize that. It’s an even greater thing to see her overcome that.

Every day I talk to her, I am reminded that we didn’t do so bad.  Life wasn’t so much crap that we weren’t able to come out of it with our heads up.  We just had to clean some of the dirt off, and move forward.  It’s great to know that we have such a headstrong family, probably the best trait my mom gave us.

So.  If you want to go cheer my kid sister on in her post baby running adventures, PLEASE PLEASE do.  She loves encouragement, and your words will mean the world to her.