Grandpa Kline's Poppycock {Not Your Average Caramel Corn}

“You can choose your friends but you sho' can't choose your family, an' they're still kin to you no matter whether you acknowledge 'em or not, and it makes you look right silly when you don't.”― Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird

And so following that quote, in honor of the little known holiday, "National Sibling Day" I share a few lessons I have gleaned from the best siblings in the world! Here is a photo, so you can reference each sibling. Since the family has grown, I blocked out the non-original clan siblings and other individuals (ie. our parental unit) unrelated to this post.

1. From Carrie- You will never receive the title of firstborn when someone beats you out by two minutes. I have never had the opportunity to be the oldest child. And you know all those "oldest child" characteristics that annoy the younger siblings...I don't have those. Lesson: Being second is best.

2. From Monroe- Boys will always stick together. Monroe and dad had all the fun hunting, yard mowing, and doing the "guy stuff" together. And life was pretty much limited to that guy stuff. We each had a dish night (5 weeknights, 5 kids) and Monroe was always assigned Wednesday, which always happened to be the night we hosted a bazillion Clemson students--using paper plates and having to rush off to Wednesday evening church service meant Monroe pretty much NEVER had to do dishes. Lesson: Guys almost always get out of dish duty.

3. From Allison- If you are confident about what you are doing, you can get away with just about anything. For example, teaming up with your brother to help your friend run away will work as long as you make a plan and take an extra roll of toilet paper with you. Lesson: Your parents will find out about your great ideas no matter how well you plan.

4. From Sarah- The youngest child must always be 5 years old and may never grow up. As long as you are a good writer you will always be the favorite. After 10+ years of writing the family Christmas letter, Sarah has been able to influence our family and friends into thinking she truly is the favorite. Lesson: Sarah is the favorite child, no matter what.

We still hate taking the "all-family" Christmas photo. It is not any more peaceful a process than it used to be. Go figure!!

We wear matching pajama pants on Christmas Eve. Gingerbread from Old Navy YEARS ago.

We still have an occasional outburst of less than perfect harmony; yes we are human...it's pretty obvious.

BUT at the end of the day, we actually love each other. We cry together. We pray together. We laugh together. And we still sing the ____________ song on long trips in the car together. Hey, who's got the worm?

Our five new siblings, by way of in-laws are all still working on elite sibling status, and hopefully 10 years from now will be included in the "National Sibling Day" post. None have been kicked out of the family [yet].

Happy Sibling Day to the best siblings and my closest friends in the world! 

-Rach