My sister Katie is eleven years younger than me and lives in New York with her husband and nine month old baby boy, Sawyer.  The night before her wedding day I was writing notes for my maid of honor speech and it dawned on me that she was never coming home. I don't know why it took until that night to realize it but for whatever reason that's when it happened. When she was younger Katie attended college in Santa Barbara, studied abroad in Australia, lived in Reno with our folks a while then moved to Boston where she met Ethan. 

Our relationship has evolved from big sister/little sister to just sisters and a single day does not go by that I don't realize how lucky I am to have her. 

Sister

Over a decade apart we are

And I was more like a mom to you for years

Holding and comforting you

And wiping off your tears

Now we are older

And a new relationship is there

A best friend, my sister

So very deeply I care

You are married now

And live too far away

I realized you would stay there

On your beautiful wedding day

How cruel that this happened

Just when it got so good

I think I took us for granted

I never really understood

What it meant to have an equal

From the same family tree

Someone who knows what it means

To be you and to be me

I took a great class in college and learned that the description of an introvert is a little different than I thought. What she told us was that an introvert can love being around people and enjoy social events, however it takes a great deal of energy. An extrovert gains their energy doing these things. Now I understand why spending time alone makes me feel so good and so energized. It all makes sense now! haha 

My husband and I are alike in many different ways but in the areas we are different - we are actually quite opposite. Somehow it works though. I wrote this quick little poem sitting in class (when I should have been listening to the instructor).

Wallflower

I plant myself like I always do

In the corner next to someone I know

You make sure I am cozy and safe

Then you’re off, there you go

I smile at you and you smile back

From across the room when our eyes meet

What is easy for you to visit with all

For me would be such a feat

Alone on a chair by the ocean blue

Feeling the breeze with my eyes closed

Sitting still for you is not easy

But you do it for me, you are not opposed

What gives you strength makes me tired

Somehow it balances out, I don’t ask why

I do know that I am glad you are with me

I am the wallflower and you are the butterfly

Now I let my roots grow a bit

But I know I can be me too

That’s how the combination works so well

Me and beautiful, social you

Grandma's Buffalo Chip Cookies

I cherish a hand-written card containing the ingredients and directions for baking one of my favorite cookie recipes from my grandmother, Katie Doshier. I remember asking her for the recipe and she ran down to my house (I was living across the street from my grandparents at the time) and wrote it out for me on a pink index card. Her cursive is perfect and proper. 

She has been gone over a decade and each time I see her hand-writing my heart swells as do the tears in my eyes. My entire family has fond memories of Grandma's many different cookies and during the holidays we get together to recreate the amazing tastes and smells that used to come from her kitchen. These cookies are just too good not to share with everyone. Enjoy!

BUFFALO CHIP COOKIES

from Allie Schroder to Kay Doshier (what she wrote on the card).

1 lb melted, cooled butter

2 cups brown sugar

2 cups white sugar

4 eggs

4 cups flour, sifted

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp vanilla

2 cups quick oatmeal

2 cups crushed cornflakes

6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips

6 oz. butterscotch chips

Cream melted butter, sugars and eggs, vanilla and mix well. Sift flour and baking soda together and add to the butter/sugar mixture. Stir in chocolate chips and butterscotch chips. For 6 inch cookies make 2 oz balls and flatten with the palm of hand or fork. Makes 30 - 32 large cookies. For smaller cookies, make a 1 inch ball. You will get 6 - 7 dozen of the smaller (normal size, really) cookies. Bake until golden brown at 375 degrees. 

Golden brown - I usually check them after about 8 minutes. I'm bad about using a timer.