That's Just Jessie

Since Jessie is on me all of the time to update my blog, I'm going to dedicate this entire post to her. That's what you get for being so pushy ;)

My sweet cousin, Jessica Shay Smith, is a good girl. We've been close since the minute that she was born. She's always been full of energy and has been very strong. We used to fight all the time, in a loving way of course. However, it was so bad at one point, my Grandma Dee refused to take us anywhere together. My mom wrecked her car into the basketball pole in the Main Cross Church parking lot one time because she was turned around reaching into the backseat trying to break me and my girl up from an especially brutal scrap session. I ran her head into the wall when she wouldn't clean. She nearly broke my thumb slamming the phone on it, and I tried to shove her into the crisper drawer of the refrigerator.

Ahhhh, such good times. She moved away for college. I moved in with Robbie. I had a kid and I got married (in that order). She moved back to Indiana. She got married and had a kid (in that order). She got divorced. She started dating. I got divorced. I'm still waiting for that first date. ;)

We're probably closer now that we've ever been, which is hard to imagine since I've always considered her to be my sister more than cousin. Even with our special bond and similar upbringing, we couldn't be more opposite if we tried. I've put together a little comparison below, and I hope she embraces and celebrates our differences.

1.) She wants to get married and live the fairy tale life with picket fences, butterflies, and puppy dogs. Probably a farm with lots of flowers and plants that she can tend to when she passes time. She wants to make sun tea and fried chicken and deliver it in a perfectly coordinated picnic basket to her hard-working man on a tractor in a field, while her kids are perfectly content cross-stiching their monogram into their pillowcases, just like she taught them.

I don't want to get married again, and love being single. This is the best time of my life. I wouldn't change anything at this point, and I'm not looking to be tied down by another man, ever. (Keep in mind that this single difference between Jessie and I cause the most drama in our relationship.)

2.) She wants lots of additional kids, whether she gives birth or marries her dream man whose wife died and left him with 6 young'ns to raise. She is excellent with kids and sets up special "Cookie Baking Day" parties, she buys the coolest snacks, and all of the kids in the family want to always go to Jessie's house.

I love my two kids, but don't want anymore to raise. My tubes are tied and cut, and that will never change. My dream man doesn't want kids of his own or has kids in their twenties. I would prefer to end up with someone without little kids.

3.) Jessie is very domesticated. She loves to make things. She sews, paints, makes crafts, cooks, cleans, and makes a mean gingerbread house.

I'm not very crafty, but I can cook when I have to. I would prefer to pull pre-made food from the freezer and throw it in the oven for every meal.

4.) She is a homebody that enjoys hanging out at her house watching movies and making homemade popcorn and sweet tea. It doesn't bother her to never go out on the town. She is perfectly content never having a babysitter on the weekends. She likes to go to bed early (before 10), and readily offers to watch my kids when I want to go out.

I only stay home when I have my kids, and once Landon has some age on him, I'll probably be dragging them out all of the time, too. I love staying out late on my "no kids" weekends, and dragging myself home around 5 a.m. I can have parties at my house, but I usually convince everyone to go out when they assemble at my place. I love mixing and mingling, and could be on my death bed, and still go out. (FYI - Jessie reluctantly agreed to go out with my on New Year's Eve, but then made me take her home at 11 p.m. Of course, I headed back out after grabbing my karaoke player and some CDs.)

5.) Jessie is 5'2" and blonde.

I'm 5'10" and usually a brunette. (People say we look so much alike, and we find that so amusing. I call her my twin.)

Obviously, we have lots of differences, but we both love to laugh, tell stories, and sing. I always have a great time when I hang out with her, even when we don't go out. And if even if she won't admit it, I think she has a good time when I drag her out with me.

I would like her to be more willing to kiss random boys, and not always think about whether or not they would make a good mate prior to doing so. I would like her to show off her assets a little more since she is very buxom and built like a brickhouse. I would like her to throw away every furry and/or fleece vest that she owns. I would like her to not forget about herself as she takes care of everyone else around her. I would like her to live a little before she looks up and realizes that her life has passes her by.

I really just want her to always be happy and to always be my best friend.

I love you, Jessica! You complete me.