Sisters We Will Always Be

My dear friend, Ashley, came to Dallas this weekend.  She was my "little sister" in our college sorority, Tau Beta Sigma, and now lives in Kansas for grad school, so it's always a treat to see her since we are only reunited a few times each year.

In addition to scary movies with my roomie, sushi and Sour Patch Kids (all of which are traditions for Ashley and I), we headed over to TCU, our alma mater, for our sorority's 3rd Degree ritual.  This is when the pledge class becomes official members of the sorority, so it's a really special day.

Being there took me back in time, and I was able to meet the newest members of my family line-- I now have a great-great-great grandlittle.  Which basically means that I'm old. 

the evidence of my age

Also, we are part of the "Pink" family, which couldn't be more perfect as it's my favorite color! 

Tau Beta Sigma was such a huge part of my college experience, so I love seeing the legacy I've left behind and reuniting with these sweet young women.

We also went to the Bernini exhibit at the Kimbell Art Museum since Ashley is an art history student and loves Bernini's work. I don't much about art, but his sculptures are incredibly intricate, and I recommend the exhibit to even the non-art historians out there!

All in all, a very fun weekend.  Thanks for visiting, Ashley!

 

Happy Birthday, Baby Sis!

"A sister is a forever friend."

My little sister Kristen turns 21 today! It's hard to believe since sometimes I feel like she should still be about 5 years old, but she's legal! The lucky duck got a snow day off from school today, and I was a little jealous when she texted a picture from her mid-afternoon happy hour.

I distinctly remember holding her, so soon after she came home from the hospital, when this picture was taken.  Truly, where does life go?

Being four years apart, sometimes growing up it was hard to relate to each other-- being 8 is very different than being 4, and being 16 is sure different than being 12! But the older we get, the less the age difference matters, and the closer we become.

Don't worry, there have been plenty of times where drive each other completely crazy, like when she'd try to bite me as a toddler or eat my flavored lip gloss.  And I might have used my older wisdom to outsmart her and get my way, and try to tell her what to do a little too often.

But having a sister is like no other bond in life.  You don't always like each other, but you know you always love each other.

Happy Birthday, Sissy! Thanks for being the connection to my childhood, my built-in best friend, and a source of unconditional love.  

Tau Beta Sigma-- On to the Next Generation

"From near or far, who really cares?
This bond of love, we'll always share.
So take my hand, and come with me,
sisters we will always be.
We're all different, yet we're all the same."

On Friday evening I battled over an hour of traffic after work to make it to Fort Worth for Tau Beta Sigma First Degree, the first ritual of the year that represents the journey a pledge class will take. It also serves as a reminder for the active members of what the sorority stands for and how they should live everyday. I missed the actual ritual and the big sister reveal, but arrived in time to see my family line and also the reveal of the big brothers.

The whole drive to Fort Worth, I was thinking about how weird it was that I was no longer a Beta, but instead driving from my grown-up job to visit many sweet girls I have grown so close to over the years, and also meet a group of 18 girls that have no idea who I am. After something is such a major part of your life for four years, it's strange not to be deeply involved in it anymore. This year I've been able to attend a few things and stay in close contact with many of the girls, but I know this will lead to a steady decline as I get older, busier with other things, and possibly even move away from DFW. Soon I will be like many of the Tau Beta Sigma alumni that don't know anyone in the chapter anymore, anything going on with the TCU band, or if their TBS family is still around. It's strange to think about, but I know it's the natural progression. And it still completely blows my mind how quickly four years in college and this sorority went by.

Even when I was an active member, it was always so interesting to me to think about and hear about the experiences of the Betas that came before us. Our chapter, Beta Delta, has been around for 54 years now, and there is so much sisterhood and history involved! It's always so neat to meet alumni and hear about what Tau Beta Sigma was like many years ago. I hope that in 20 years I can come to a meeting or write the chapter a letter and tell them my experiences in this wonderful organization.

I think I told this to the new Tau pledge class every year, and I definitely wrote it in the notes to the new members of my Pink! family line this year, but joining Tau Beta Sigma will be one of the best decisions they make while at TCU. It certainly was for me. Yes, it is a big time committment, and yes, there is drama involved, but I've discovered that there is always drama involved with anything in life...that's just how people are! The truth is, the amount of sisterhood, love, and memories I gained more than cancel out any negaitivty or drama that I experienced. I met my best friends and roommates in that organization, and came to love a group of talented, beautiful, fun girls that I will not soon forget. Not everyone sticks it out, whether they leave by their own choice or circumstances that take them away, but I wouldn't trade my experience for anything.

I love hearing about what Beta Delta has accomplished this year. Such a great group is already striving for new goals and doing more and more, and I know this organization will continue to flourish and promote music and servive. I am excited to hear about what's in store for this next generation of Betas.

I wish the 2011 Lucky Charms class a semester filled with personal discovery, a bond that cannot be broken, and memories they will cherish for years to come.


My Little posted something similar, but here are my own memories of TBS First Degrees for the past few years:

January 2007-- My first First Degree as a freshman at TCU. This is the Pink! family...so weird to think that I was the only person in this group still around during my senior year!

January 2008-- Me waiting to show my Little, Ashley,that I was her big sister! I was so excited and nervous, just praying that i was who she wanted as her big sister.

January 2008-- Giving Ash the biggest hug. I had prayed that I would bond with a girl in colorguard who could become my Little, and she was the perfect answer to my prayers. I love her as a true little sister, and she has become one of my best friends over the years.

January 2009-- Ashley waiting to show Kayla that she was her big sister! My turn to be a grandbig, or "grandma" and "granddaughter" as we soon came to call ourselves...before everyone else jumped on the bandwagon. : )

Janury 2009- Me, Ashley, and Kayla

January 2010- Ashley waiting on her 2nd little, Audrey, and Kayla waiting for her own little, Callie

January 2010-- Look how much bigger we are getting! Me, Little, Grandlittle, Granddaughter, and Great-Grandlittle

January 2010- My family with the plates I made them! (The most crafty I've ever been in my life)

January 2011-- Callie and Audrey, waiting to hug their littles Stefanie and Meridith!

January 2011-- My Pink! family line: Me, Ashley, Kayla, Audrey, Callie, Meridith, and Stefanie! I feel so old.

January 2011-- Ashley and I, all grown-up.