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Thursday, October 10, 2013

Anne Shirley...Kindred Spirit

“Theres such a lot of different Annes in me.
I sometimes think that is why I’m such a 
troublesome person.
If it was just one Anne it would be ever so much
more comfortable, but then it wouldn’t be
half so interesting.”
-L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

I love Anne of Green Gables, Anne of Avonlea...Anne Shirley was someone that a quick tempered, red head with a wicked punch could relate to.  Anne was so flawed.  She hated to be embarrassed.  She was quick to speak her mind even if it meant getting into trouble (I did this several times in my youth).  She was fiercely loyal and strong willed.  This was a lot like me.  I see a lot of me and my older sister, Christian, in Anne Shirley.  

Honestly, I was the rough side of Anne and Christian was the "head in the clouds" Anne.
Christian dreamed big dreams, her imagination was always off the charts.  The rest of us Estep kids were just along for the ride.  

I have talked about how we put on plays for our parents.  Christian was ALWAYS the leader.  When we played dolls or house, she told us what to say and how to act.  This however didn't always work with me.  

We lived in a very small apartment above our church.  At the time, there was construction going on, adding on Sunday School rooms and offices.  This was the perfect playground for children with great imaginations.  We played house, war, hide and seek...you name it, we played it.  

The room that was later turned into an office for our Pastor/Daddy was the room we most played house in.  Christian was always the Mommy and Cheryl was always the baby.  Much to my dismay, Christian always insisted that I was the Daddy.  One day, in my rebellion to my older sister, I decided to move.  I took my baby doll, some items for a house and moved down the hall into the huge Sunday School room and made myself a house.  A bigger, mansion like house.  A house where I was the Mommy!!!  Kimi ruled this house...just like Kimi likes it.

Poor Cheryl didn't know what to do.  Whose house would she live or play in?  Well, it wasn't long until Christian didn't want to play dolls or house anymore.  Being the oldest of us three girls, she was the first to grow up.  It didn't happen all of a sudden.  It was a process of maturing.  Sad to think about it today but so exciting when you are going from one stage in life to another.

The Fall of the year always reminds me of the days playing in the back of the construction at 410 Webb Lane with Ronald, Christian, Cheryl and eventually Phillip.

Fall reminds me of popcorn in the big green bowl that my Daddy would pop on the stove for an evening treat.  It reminds me of flashlights and records on the record player.  Fall always makes me think of Family.

So I will end my post today with another quote from Anne.

"I'm so glad I live in a world 
where there are Octobers."
-L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

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