Growing up, I always wanted a sister. Do not get me wrong, I love my brother, but there are some things that you can not chat about with your younger brother about. Eventually, I grew up and became a mother. While pregnant with my oldest son, I joined an online Mommy group. Six years later, a core group of us still remain active. I not only became friends with these woman who had children the same age as my son, they became my sisters. We talked about everything from giving birth, nursing, marriage, life and the list goes on. When my water broke, I actually stopped and e-mailed all of them to tell them the fabulous news.

Fast forward to February 2007. I was pregnant with my second son and started to blog. I was suddenly thurst into a completely new world. Thanks to the blogosphere I met many amazing women online who helped me to smile as I was dealing with the death of my grandfather, febrile seizures hospitalizing my son and learning to be the mother of two little boys. While I sat nursing my infant, I made connections with people that are still in my life today.

Right after my son was born, I became friends with CityStreams through an online Flickr Swap group. We had so much in common, yet we were so different. We had both left a medical profession for a teaching career. Her first born was due soon after my youngest was born. I followed her adventures in the south, as she laughed at my battles with snow and ice. I watched as she became a police officers wife, and she saw me transition to being a stay at home mother.

Another one of my online sister’s is Renee. When I was pregnant with my youngest, she was the support I needed during a major scare. We were not sure if our baby had Downs Syndrome. Had it not been for online group and blogs I never would have met Renee and her Special K’s. I love keeping in touch with her family and seeing all that they do.

So to me . . . You Know You’re a Sister… when women who used to be complete strangers come into your life and change you. They become a part of you and you genuinely care about them and they care for you, even from a great distance. Through tweets, comments and online talks they motivate me and bring a smile to my face. One day, I hope to meet many of my online sisters, perhaps even at the Type-A Mom Conference in September so I can have photo evidence of me with my sisters!

This blog post was written as an entry for a chance to win an all-expense paid trip to the Type-A Mom Conference in Asheville, N.C.   The Sister Project is running a contest to give one lucky blogger an all-expenses paid trip to the conference, as well as two additional prizes. This post is my entry in that contest, which asks entrants to fill in this blank-”You know you’re a sister when…?