Hey Sister! Yo Brother!

Studying sibling relations has become a bit of a past time for me. Now that I've sort of been able to get past the pesky arguments, it's kind of fun to see how my (nearly) 13 year old daughter and 8 year old son can come together on a few topics...

=> Harry Potter. Although one prefers to read it and one prefers to watch it.
=> Star Wars. Although one lives it and one just appreciates Lucas's imagination.
=> Rock Music. They tolerate each other's playlists just fine, but I think one prefers the dirtier lyrics of Nickelback and the other prefers the strong female-led Paramore.
=> Art! Both of our kids inherited a recessive gene and have a great ability to draw and paint. (This assessment is coming from quite possibly the worst sketch artist in the universe.)

Don't get me wrong - there's plenty of of schisms in the household. Vegan vs Meat-eater. Food Network vs Cartoon Network. And of course, the never-ending "GIVE IT. IT'S MY TURN!!!"

But the similarity between Cole and Alex that makes me most proud is each of their ability to show kindness. This trait has been particularly exacerbated lately. Our family is going through a tough time with my dear Grandma dying of cancer. Many relatives are back and I have never been more proud of the kids and their show of affection to people they rarely see.

See this photo? I didn't even tell them to sit together. Just happened to catch them like that...It's where Harry Potter and Star Wars intersect...