20 Things I Love About My Sister
Saturday, September 25, 2004 at 9:51PM It's my sister's birthday today! We're having a small family gathering this evening to celebrate it.
Here are...
20 Things I Love About Ruth
She's an amazing artist. Ruth has always been good at drawing. Way back when we were really little, she used to prove this by drawing in a lot of our kid books (ok, so did I, but her doodles were better!).
Ruth's illustrated about 40 books now (several new titles soon to be released). And she's starting to write her own books as well!
She never takes life for granted.
She sketches all the time, most of it not related to work. She just LOVES DRAWING. At the cottage last week, she sat on the new tent platform, surrounded by trees and water, and sketched in watercolour. Even when it got so cold that despite layers of sweaters, her fingers were growing numb!
She gets such a joy out of her family's joy.
Her organizational skills. Especially in planning family trips! When Ruth gets in organization/planning mode, a whirlwind of activity ensues, with phonecalls, e-mails, intensive research.
Her love of dancing. By great, I don't mean a nightclub dance floor ... I mean in the living room, when she's grooving to favourite tunes with Sara and Annie, giving herself totally into the music.
She looks comfortable and classy in anything, from a slinky formal dress to baggy sweatpants and a t-shirt.
Ruth's one of the most creative people I know.
She's also one of the most positive people I know. She'll find silver linings where most people would just gripe.
She's not afraid of challenges. In fact, she goes out and looks for them.
She's way fun to hang out with.
Her presentations for students at schools and conferences about being a children's illustrator are extremely popular, and she is constantly having to turn down invites because her schedule is too full. A speaker at a writers' conference once said that one of the worst things that can happen to an author is to have to speak at a school after Ruth was there. :-)
She's not afraid of saying no.
Her time management skills. I have no idea how she manages to do all the things she does. Check out this sample page from her family calendar to the right:
The fact that despite her crazy schedule, she still makes it a priority to find time for herself.
Related to management of time, Ruth has also (out of necessity, I imagine) mastered the art of getting IMMEDIATELY into productive workmode. So many people (including me) need at least a bit of time to "warm up" and gradually ease into productivity.
Her sense of humour.
Ruth is constantly pushing the envelope, learning new things, striving for improvement. She never coasts through life; she grabs life with everything she has and doesn't let go.
How well she connects with kids, not just her own.
She's a dreamer.
How she can carve out her own space even when she's surrounded by chaos.
The way she values her solitude.
Ruth on a solo paddle at the cottage last weekend.
Her devotion to her craft. She puts an incredible amount of effort into each project, sometimes re-doing a painting dozens of times until she's happy with it.
She doesn't procrastinate.
Her enthusiasm for the Lord of the Rings movies, and the fact that she can recite Theodon's pre-battle speech from memory.
Her hugs.
She's incredibly fit! Not only does she regularly walk distances that most people would drive, but she works out at her local gym, cooks and eats healthy food.
The fact that she cries as much as I do when watching certain sappy movies and tv shows. I still remember how we used to watch episodes of Little House of the Prairie together (stop gagging, Andy!) with a box of Kleenex between us, bawling our eyes out.
The respect and love between her and her daughters. She never talks down to them.
The fact that no matter how busy she is, she always has time for those she loves.
She feels things deeply.
Ruth isn't just energetic, she bubbles over it, a lightning bolt of enthusiasm and laughter...it's infectious. I'll never forget my friend Dave Clement's reaction when he first met her, for example. Not being able to see her, his impression was completely from her voice and the way she talked (which was VERY energetic and fast, especially when she and I are talking together). First Dave smiled. The smile turned into a grin. Then a bigger grin that turned into a laugh of pure delight.
The relationship between her and Kaarel.
She's willing to subject herself to my cooking experiments.
| She could spend hours browsing the children's section of a bookstore. |
She's always there for me when I need her: a shoulder to cry on, a sounding board, a friend.
She can be tactful yet firm.
Her playfulness.
The fact that she and Jeff are such good friends.
And that she married a cool guy like Kaarel. :-)
She loves reading kids' books. Ruth and I are always exchanging books and book ideas; we have similar tastes in YA novels.
The depth of caring she shows her friends and family.
Once she's make up her mind to take on a project (personal or business), she doesn't stick a cautious toe in the water first...she leaps in right away and with enthusiasm.
She forgives me for putting her through mental torture when we were kids.
Her ability to know when to relax, and then to actually DO it.
Ruth, I admire you in so many different ways that I can't possibly even begin to describe here.
Happy birthday, sis. I love you like crazy.
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