Moving frequently while growing up, my two sisters and I depended on each other for friendship and companionship. Beth and Kristi were my constants in a changing world.

They still are. My two sisters, and as an adult my mother as well, are my best friends. Even though I have now put roots deeper than dandelions into the San Luis Valley living here for more than three decades, I still count on my family as my constant source of strength and friendship.

My little sister Kristi, four years younger than I, celebrated another birthday on Thursday. She and I spent several days together with our folks (and then she and the folks and my older sister and her husband) during our recent trip to celebrate our folks’ 65 years together. Kristi was the designated driver, not that any one of us was drinking or ever would, but she chauffeured the rest of us throughout the entire trip, bless her heart.

She has admirable organizational skills and has helped me with my finances for a number of years now, which I appreciate more than I can say. Too many numbers give me a headache, and not enough give me a stomachache. With her assistance, I’ve struck a “positive balance,” at least in the checkbook.

It was nice to have some special time with my little sister, my constant, my friend. We enjoyed walking on the beach and feeling the sand and the ocean, both of us about falling into it headfirst when the waves came up a little too fast. (Neither of us is going to be joining the ballet troupe anytime soon…maybe in heaven.) We sat and chatted in a hot tub to which we retreated when the swimming pool water was a bit too chilly to be comfortable.

We faced each day as a new adventure together, and it was just wonderful to be sharing those adventures — sometimes more successful than others — together.

I just wish we had more time to be together. We get together as often as we can, with our lives so busy and the miles between us too many.

We will celebrate three family birthdays at once next weekend, and Kristi’s will be one of them. We know how to make a birthday celebration last! I will try to spoil her a little, although not anywhere near as much as she deserves, and we will share special meals and treats together.

This week I sent her a card with a Farmville gift card in it so she would have something to enjoy on her birthday. I have been an absentee landlord on my “farms” for many years now, so Kristi updates all the Farmville “properties,” hers and mine.

A lot of her projects are unpaid volunteer efforts, like producing a recent edition of a cookie cutter club newsletter, print and digital version, which looked amazing.

I appreciate all she does for so many people including me. Lately she’s been even busier keeping up with their latest addition to the family Bailey, an energetic Sheltie puppy who is so naughty but so adorable at the same time. Kristi and her husband Tom are trying to teach him some manners, like not taking tissue out of the waste basket and tearing it to shreds, but he is definitely a work in progress at this point.

Bailey has been good for them, and they have been the right home for him. They are his constants in a crazy world of rabbits and dog parks. He can embrace every new adventure knowing his people are there for him in it all.

Just like my Kristi has done for me.