I DRAW THE LINE AT ANYTHING INVOLVING MIDGETS

*Note: This entry is a guest blog written by T*

Carolyn is the "nice sister" in our family. None of us are evil by any means (well, depends on who you ask), but Cari is always offering to help and always saying sorry for things she doesn't even control.

Exhibit A:

Our house growing up had an amazing hill behind it on which to go sledding. We had many good times back there in the winter. One not so good time for me was caught on videotape when I was about 5. The sequence of events happened as follows:

I slide into the picture, bravely taking on the sledding hill by myself on the inflatable inner tube. Mom is standing about 10 feet down the hill, in position to stop me from careening down recklessly into the large ditch many yards below.

Mom: "I'll catch you! Ooof!"

Oops, the tube bounced off her legs and sent me in a wild spin down the hill towards sure disaster. The whole family was out on the hill in various spots. As I spun out of control, eventually tumbling into a bush not far from the bottom, an interesting study of reactions took place:

Lisa: *consuming handful after handful of snow at the bottom*

Mom: *laughing*

Dad: *calmly continuing to film as his youngest somersaults into shrubbery* (hey, the camera did not shake even one time)

Cari: *dropping her own sled, running up the hill to save me* When it was obvious she was not going to reach me in time, she helpfully yelled out: "She lost a shoe!"

Exhibit B:

Cari was the oldest of three, and therefore sacrificed herself for Lisa and my eventual social lives. She had a curfew of 10:30 p.m. and I had no curfew. Enough said.

Exhibit C:

It was my duty as the youngest sister to be a pest. Therefore, I would do things like read Cari's journals and spy on her with her boyfriends. The fact that she didn't kill me for such actions says a lot.

Exhibit D:

A few years ago, Cari and I went backpacking in the Sangre de Cristo mountains. It was my suggestion to take the straight uphill route, which led us into an endless route and torrential downpour. We could've turned back, but our mantra was "Must press on!"

Eventually, we made it to a flat camping spot, but the rain didn't stop and the winds picked up. Somehow we got the tent set up, Cari's lips were blue, but it was no thing to her. Then came the challenge of going pee. You see, this urinating on the spot thing is easy for guys, but women have to make a little more effort in the wilderness. In her infinite wisdom, Cari came up with the idea (and this may be too much information) of one person squatting and sticking her butt out the tent door, while the other person holds on to her arms so she doesn't go tumbling out into the mud pantsless.

That's dedication, folks.

I do have a point in presenting all this evidence. The "nice sister" is so generous to everyone else, that she has a hard time accepting others' returning the favor. What I have seen over the past few months has been remarkable. The kindness by her "village" has left her no choice but to give in and be propped up by infinite support. She, alone, has the will and the strength of character to make it through each day of this process. But the generosity shown by you all (and I mean all of YOU reading this entry) makes her an overwhelming favorite to soundly defeat this thing.

I still don't think it's easy for Carolyn to ask for help, but she's improving. She asked me to do this guest blog, and said, "I could pretty much ask you to do anything at this point, huh?"

Just about. But I draw the line at anything involving midgets.