"Most people spend their lives doing activities with poor posture that rounds their lower back. They sit, stand, walk, and exercise round-shouldered and round-backed. This shortens chest and shoulder muscles in front, and over stretches and weakens your back. Like squeezing a water balloon in front, when you round forward, it squeezes the front of your discs between your back bones (vertebrae) above and below the disc." [source]

hunch much?

I have terrible posture. 

 Which only makes certain things worse... in both appearance, and in pain. 

Grrrrrrrrrr.

For years I've had doctors and physical therapists telling me to stretch out my muscles across my chest, pull back my shoulders, stand up straight.  And somehow, I've never been able to improve that darn posture. It's SUCH A BAD HABIT!! Between that, and the odd way I stand... I'm sure that's half of why my back is a mess.  I'm totally going to be that annoying mom constantly telling her kids to stand up straight - and put their shoulders back! Kristin is always accrediting it to me being anxious - it's really just a bad habit.

PS - these are two of my "other big sisters"  - Natalie & Krista - they've been huge influences in my life. 

They were part of Kristin's MC class - Natalie lived with us, and she introduced me to Yeats, Eliot, and bought me my first Shakespeare's Sonnets. She sipped tea and talked to me about literature and mean boys, and taught me how to throw a soft ball. She loved musicals, writing, and me. And she helped me make it through a very tough year - and discover a lot of parts of who I am called to be. Krista has been one of Kristin's best friends for the past decade, and naturally she's been around a lot. Anyone who's met her knows how sweet and wonderful she is. My dad calls her his "Flower Child." She brings out the carefree, kind, loving, slightly-hippy side of me. The girl who loves to dance and be silly and not brush her hair. (Okay, Kristin brings all that out too.) She let's me mix-match my clothes, colors, polish, style and emotions. She's so accepting and sees the beauty that others want to sweeply quick into orderly piles. Like my two blood big sisters, these two women have been huge in giving me space to grow into who I am. They've shown me examples of different qualities I love and want to resemble, they've defended me, and reminded me that I'm something special, in the way only big sisters can. I loved getting to be at each of their weddings. And I loved getting time with them both while in Cali last month. Every so often you need those times with people who've watched you grow up, who know what you've always been about, and who love you from that core.  

Thanks Kristin for sharing your friends with your little sister, and your little sister with your friends. :)