Sometimes they actually act like sisters

I have posted on here a few times before - o.k. several times before - about my girls' fighting and how it drives me INSANE!  Occasionally, however, there are moments in which they actually do manage to act sisterly.  When those moments occur I have to write about them here for posterity and to remind myself that they really do love each other.

So, picture this scene:

Rachel - my animal loving vegetarian/future PETA president who loves ALL wild creatures;  who once got upset with me for killing a spider; and who has rescued countless ladybugs and earthworms from imminent death -  had gone upstairs with Emily- my dainty little princess who does not like outside or dirt and is absolutely terrified of bugs  (as evidenced in this post from last year) -to take a shower together.

Confident that Rachel was capable of handling the shower, I stayed downstairs to scarf some dinner and savor a fleeting moment of solitude.  (Megan was at soccer practice.)  From my seat at the kitchen table, I heard Emily in a scared, trembling voice squeal "Rachel, get it!"  Then I heard a WHACK! that was unmistakenly a shoe smacking the floor followed by Rachel saying "There! It's dead!!"  I, of course, went upstairs to check on the commotion and quickly discovered the source of the drama - a stink bug.  It was obviously dead; upside down on the bathroom tile with legs curled.  Emily stood there, petrified and crying.  Rachel stood close by with a shoe in her hand.  Normally, Rachel would have gathered the bug and set it free outdoors.  In this case though, the desire to protect her scared little sister prevailed and overcame her instinct to save the bug!!!

O.K.  Yes - perhaps I am being a little overdramatic about the whole thing, but it really was a big deal to me.  Until later, of course, when I praised Rachel for her valiant act and she confessed that the bug was already dead.  Apparently, she had seen the bug and, anticipating the reaction, told Emily not to look.  (She now realizes that is a sure fire way to get someone to look exactly where you don't want them to!)  When Emily saw the bug and became distressed, Rachel tried to tell her the bug was dead, but Emily was not convinced.  The whole smack with the shoe was simply Rachel's attempt to convince and calm her sister.  Not quite the against-her-instincts act of valor I had originally been so proud of, but still a noble thing just the same.

They really do love each other.  Somewhere down deep inside they really do.  Sometimes that love is enough to overcome everything else.

Side Note: Ironically, earlier that day, I had been with my second grader on a field trip to our local science center where they were given a presentation on bugs and spiders.  They (and all the adult chaperones) were given the opportunity to touch one of these:

Northern Walking Stick

and one of these:  

Madagascar Hissing Cockraoch

and one of these:

Rose Hair Tarantula

Megan touched them all.  However, if they are still doing that same field trip when Emily is in second grade, I think we might just have to play hooky that day - or else sit very, very close to the exit during the presentation!!!  Oy!