I am the middle of three children, and my siblings have become my best friends. Growing up it was not always world peace, some days World War III happened, but through the good and the bad they are the people who have guided me through the highs and lows of life. Both my brother and sister bring something special to my life and to family life, and they have taught me so many important life lessons. Here are some reasons that I consider my siblings my best friends.

1. Between the two of them, they care about me and my interests.

The three of us are all very different. We all have our own set of interests, but those interests bring us together. My brother is a mechanical engineer, I am studying to be a youth minister, and my sister is a very artsy person. Ultimately though, we all care about the other two and how they are accomplishing their dreams. Growing up my mom had a rule that we were required to attend each others' extra curricular events (e.g. soccer games, band concerts, dance recitals, etc.) as long as we were not busy with our own. We all went through phases where we hated it, but in the end it showed the support that we had for one another.

2. They are constantly making me laugh.

Most of the time the laughter comes from picking on one sibling, but I know at the end of a long day I can count on them to make me laugh. My siblings are some of the funniest people I know, and there have been many nights where we sit around telling stories of our childhood where we spend the night crying from laughter. I am going to have so many wrinkles in my old age because of them.

3. We are all very different, but it makes us who we are.

As mentioned before, my brother, sister, and I all have our own interests, but it is these differences that make us who we are. These differences also create the dynamic of the family, and the family dynamic is thrown off whenever one of them is missing. Because we are all so different, I have become a better person. I have learned so much about engineering, and artsy things because of them. Our differences bring us together.

4. Even though we have our differences, we share common loves.

Growing up all three of us played soccer. It was something that we grew up watching the older sibling(s) play and developed a love for. We are all also band geeks. Each one of us were or are in band, and that was another thing that we developed a love for by watching one another participate in. These common loves that we have bring us closer, and give us something to nerd out about.

5. They get in fights with me.

Now I know that fighting is usually a downfall to a relationship, but fighting with my siblings made our relationship stronger. This was mainly because of mom and her constant threat to lock us in a room and make us hold hands, and her repetition of "Bottom line you are family and you love each other. Act like it!". All of the fights we have had over what game to play for family game night or the television remote, have made us the people we are today.

6. My siblings always come up with different shenanigans to pull on mom and dad and it's perfect.

We can always find a way to pull some prank on mom and dad, and it is honestly the best thing ever. Whether it is buying magnifying glasses for mom and dad for Christmas, or ganging up on them during a family game, they are constantly helping me create trouble for our parents. These shenanigans are so wonderful and create solidarity with one another.

7. They make me a stronger person.

I know that I can always count on my siblings to be there for me and to help me through any rough time. But I also know that I have be that person for them as well. There are moments in our relationship when it is my turn to be the strong person, and give them some of my strength. They have shared their strength with me on various occasions, and their strength has allowed me to become a stronger person to give it back to them when they need it.

8. I can always count on them to check on me.

I know that there isn't a day that goes by that I have to worry about not having someone to talk to. My siblings are constantly making sure that I am not going crazy in this life. They each have their own way of checking on me, but that is just who they are. My little sister one night asked me when I got in late and she was asleep asked in her sleep, "Sissy are you okay?'. To which I responded yes and she said "Okay. Goodnight". Even in her sleep she was making sure that I was safe. My brother shows his affection a little differently. He is always sharing some funny college meme with me, which I think is his way of making me laugh and making it known that he went through the same thing. I am so thankful for the care that they provide for me.

9. One thing they are extra good at is making me humble.

If I've ever learned humility from anybody it has been my older brother and little sister. They are constantly reminding me that there is always room to improve.I especially experience this when it comes to height. My brother is tall, which is to be expected, but my little sister is taller than me. She is 4 years younger and approximately 7 inches taller. She does not let me forget it either. So often people think she is the older sister and it drives me absolutely bonkers, but it keeps me humble.

10. Ultimately, they are my family.

Earlier, I mentioned my mom always saying, "Bottom line you are family and you love each other. Act like it!", which has never been truer than now. My family is what makes me who I am today. No matter the fight, we are still family and we really do love each other. I am so beyond thankful for the relationship that I have with my siblings. They are truly my best friends! I love you guys!