Something great about my family is that when we need each other, we are SO there for each other.
There was this one time when I was..11 maybe. I was having an operation to remove a cyst in my neck. Deb worked at the hospital at the time. Unfortunately, whilst I was in theatre, Mummy had a migrane and was sick and needed some medication so went to see her consultant. Deb was with me when I woke from the Anaesthetic. I remember being sick and Deb was rubbing my back. A random memory but...how I love my Auntie Deb. My sister and I love getting advice from Deb...hearing stories about the various guys she and my mother dated back in the day. Deb has a remarkable ability to read minds and interpret facial expressions. There have been MANY times when situations have been made easier and less stressful because Deb just knows....well..she just knows. =)
Laura and Kirsty have been a huge part of mine and my sister's lives. They are like our older sisters and we've done tons of stuff together. (In May 2008, Me, Jess and Laura did the race for life. Good times!)
I have fond memories of the excitement that would come at the end of a school day if we knew Lau or Kirst were picking us up! You see, at the tender age of primary and middle school, street cred is an important thing and if you don't have it naturally then who better to prompt it than 2 stunning, cool aunties. I struggled making (and retaining) friends at school so at every birthday party or sleepover, Laura and Kirsty would be there too...because they're cool like that.
Jess and I fondly recall times in the car with them singing songs and dancing. I remember a time when a "friend" of mine was leaving the ward as his family were moving out. Laura and Kirsty casually asked if I wanted to accompany them to his ward that sunday. I'm sure they made it seem like they wanted to see their friends but I know they did it so I'd get to say goodbye to MY friend. When Mummy was in hospital having one of the children, Laura and Kirsty were there and we hung out. They took us out, I believe they even bought us ice-cream and they made sure that we had such a good time with them that we weren't anxious about Mummy. That goes not just for when there were children being born but on any occasion Mummy was in hospital. They still do all they can to help- not just in emotional ways but practical too. I mean, Laura and Kirsty both read through my personal statement for university and helped my with my CV. HUGE help!
One of my fondest memories of my childhood is going to Grandma's on a sunday afternoon and having cheese and mushroom pizza on the brown picnic rug in the living room...with the light blue handled pizza cutter. On reflection, this has nothing specifically to do with Laura and Kirsty as much as the time we would spend at their house. My Grandma is awesome too. In fact, Jess found a video on youtube that pretty much sums up how cool Grammy is. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVEe7TrUabg
Laura and Kirsty became mine and my sisters fashion icons. I remember times where I would want to dress like Laura and Jess would want to dress like Kirst and then, depending on where we were in our lives, we would swap and Jess would want to be Laura and I would want to be Kirsty. (In fact, I distinctly remember buying black leather loafer style shoes for about 3 or 4 years in a row at high school because...well...they were shoes like Laura's) =)
What I love is that I have very different and individual relationship with each of them. Laura and I probably have most in common in terms of interests and hobbies. My trip to DC for example? Well, it would also have been an ideal holiday for Laura...I wish she could have been there with me. We'd have had a blast. Kirsty and I have a great relationship too. I've had COUNTLESS girly chats with Kirsty. She has helped me with friendship troubles over the years, both her and Laura helped me research Universities. Kirsty did my hair and make up for my prom, she has helped me get ready for my first church dances, has lent me clothes for....just about everything and, just recently has provided me with all the advice and practical help regarding disasterously plucked eye-brows that I could have ever wanted. She's the perfect older sister.
When I was in Vegas in '09, I got my A- level results. They weren't what I wanted nor were they what I needed. I got rejected from my first choice university and my grades were too low for my second choice. I was, very literally, in the gall of bitterness and seemingly endless woe, made worse by the fact that I was away from home. Kirsty, Seth and Laura each e-mailed me messages of encouragement, love, comfort and hope! I actually felt hopeful for the future after talking to them. Kirsty and Seth, since I've been at university have been more than just Auntie and Uncle. They have provided every family-ish need I could ever have. Here are just a few experiences I have had with each of them.
Laura is amazing. She is who I want next to me when the world ends. When there's a crisis afoot, Laura is there with a plan which will invariably make life better. I have INNUMERABLE stories to tell in this vein...Last year, I was making the decision whether to study abroad or not. This is, quite possibly, the biggest decision I have ever had to make simply because for as long as I have wanted to go to university, I have wanted to study abroad. I chose my Universities on the premise that they offered a study abroad scheme and I had applied to the University of Illinois and was accepted there so everything was set and ready to go. Around the time my documentation had to be in, I started to wonder if this was what I really wanted. My parents are fantastic when it comes to things like these. My Dad will counsel me to pray but, ultimately, he will remind me of my age and encourage me to act it. =) My Mum has a very different technique. It's called Devil's Advocacy. It's usually helpful but on this occasision, I just found myself getting more and more confused. Laura is and has always been enthusiastic when it comes to adventurous things. She did a whole ton of research for me around this time and simply lent an ear whilst I vocally made endless pros and cons lists, as I voiced my concerns, my fears, my hopes etc... In the end, I decided it wasn't right for me to go. I figured I'd be better off and could be of much better use here. I'm grateful that Lau was there to listen though.
More Laura stories...
About 2 years ago, I was visiting Ieuan and his family in Cambridge. Ieuan ended up in hospital that day. It was a pretty nasty situation and rather worrying at the time. I just went through a whole load of text messages from then, actually, and rembered how hideous it all was- I stayed over at the Guys until Ieuan was safe and out of hospital. I found texts from Laura (who was working in Cambridge at the time) offering to bring me fresh clothes and stuff from home. She said she could meet me in Ely en route to work. BLESS HER HEART. That is Laura ALL over. In fact, when I used to get up in church to speak, she would always remind me that I ought to tell the congregation how wonderful and beautiful she was...brainwashing at it's best right there but I recall both me and Jess doing it!! Haha!
More recently, when the Earthquake in Japan happened, Kirsty and Laura were two of the first to contact me. Laura seems to have access to information that no one else has and so I was kept perfectly up to date during the whole situation. She comforted me, prayed for me along with the rest of my family and did all she could to make sure that I knew Ieuan was safe and that he would be blessed and protected. She avidly read the news for any developments and went on church websites too to get the latest on the missionaries. Laura's help and comfort didn't end on that day, even up until the evacuation and relocation of missionaries, Laura was there with the most up to date information. It seems like a little thing but it was a big thing for me. Laura and I love to play tennis. It is our summer activity and we look forward to University being over with so I can spend a good amount of time hanging out. (Another random memory- Laura used to come to ours all the time to watch the music channels with Jess and I on Sky...I owe my music taste to Laura and Kirsty's influence)!
Kirsty is just as lovely and wonderful. I have had several experiences where I have needed some company, or comfort and advice and Kirsty's been right there. I remember one particular situation where I'd just been with her that evening but, after arriving home, I got very upset about something and she came back armed with a tub of Ben and Jerry's! Seth sat out in the car and waited for about....must have been well over 30 mins while Kirsty and I talked indoors (because Seth is just that wonderful too). I know I can go to Kirsty about anything. I've asked her advice on so many things from guys, medical issues, medication, fashion choices, universities, jobs and, most recently, eye-brow resurrection techniques (don't tell me YOU'VE never gone a bit wax-happy on the eyebrow region- it's an easy mistake to make).
I love nothing more than an evening with Seth and Kirsty watching a film and talking with them. At church yesterday, I had a really LONG talk with both of them. We chatted about loads of stuff and I came away on a real high! I love spending time with them.
Kirsty taught me how to dance Ceroc, Cha cha, waltz and various other things. Her cool factor has never waned. I was at a church youth convention at the age of 18 and I was still thrilled that Laura and Kirsty were there as leaders because... "Yeah, they're MY aunties!" Kirsty was one of my YW leaders too which was great fun and was a counsellor at EFY. I was homesick at the beginning of EFY and remember texting Kirsty late into the night. Laura and Kirsty were also there to launch me into YSA society. I remember my first YSA dance in Cambridge, they were both there for that and that is JUST how it should have been. =)
I often get random texts from Kirsty after she's been researching something online. These research efforts are triggered by her remembering a random thing that I've mentioned in passing that she has found out more about for me. For example, she texted me about a Saatchi and Saatchi internship available since I mentioned that I'd love to go into advertising. How THOUGHTFUL!! Probably more important than all of these things is the fact that Kirsty and I both attend the same church meeting on the 1st wednesday of every month. I'm usually enthusiastic about most things but this meeting sometimes takes it out of me. The fact that Kirsty sits next to me is a balm of comfort like no other. Just to have someone to look at who can read your mind!! Just to be able to lean across and whisper the outrageous comment that you know you are both desperate to vocalise. Just to hear her laugh at my jokes when no one else will or to tell me that I was perfectly justified in making whatever comment I made...Just having her as my Ward council buddy. THAT, my friends, is a love like no other. Until you are part of your ward council, you will never be able to fully appreciate a bond like this!!
I love Laura and Kirsty. We all have our jokes...Church in my home ward when we are all there is a great experience. Laura is the worst for this, actually. She will start laughing- sometimes you'll never find out why and sometimes you know exactly why! You'll then see the arms fold and the head bow. Some will think she is being ultra reverent. Not so. Then Kirsty will do a similar thing. Only then will you notice the shoulder shakes that ricochet down the pew. The next thing that will happen is that Grandma will try and stop them both from laughing but Grandma is laughing to so that's futile. Then Jess and I will probably start laughing too, then Mummy will join in. Pretty soon, we all have our heads bowed, much lower than usual, our arms folded and our shoulders shaking. It is not unusual for this to be to the amusment of the row behind us either. It's pretty epic. (I must add that it isn't CHURCH that's the hilarious thing). =)
As I'm typing, I am just reliving a whole ton of memories. Last one before I call it a day on this Ode. When Jess and I were younger, Laura and Kirsty Choreographed a dance that we performed. I remember feeling exceptionally cool doing it, I must admit. Years later, when I was about 18, we performed another dance choreographed by them. It was fun to do it all together again and, still, at 20 years old, I feel that the street cred I have is purely by association. I have cool Aunties. That's all there is to it. I love them and, whatever happens, wherever they are, they are always there. I probably don't tell them enough how much I love and appreciate them but suffice it to say, I love them a lot. No wonder Eternal Families are such an important feature of what we believe in. I don't fancy an eternity without them!
I leave this post with a phrase Laura taught me when I was younger (I cannot even remember what it's from) "Oi! That bloke's a nutter. Oi! Nutter!" There we go. Over and out.
