Twins Are In!

What it’s like to be Alison’s twin:

If I had to describe my “twinship” with Alison in one word, I would have to use the word INSPIRED. There are not too many people I know that carry out the career plan they made at 6 years old. When my father finished his surgical fellowship and asked Alison where she wanted to move, she responded without any hesitation, “AFRICA! So I can live and help the monkeys.” Although we didn’t end up in Africa, Alison continued her plan to help all types of animals. Alison sees a world without limitations and her ambitious energy is infectious. She has always motivated me to not only dream big, but to create a plan to reach your dream, and work hard on executing it. Oddly enough, rather than becoming anxious over Alison’s laminated schedules and lists of things to do, her perfectionist ways have motivated me to execute my plan, and to do it my own way.

Alison and I have been working out together for as long as I can remember. We use our runs to talk about life, love, hopes and dreams. We used to run through our current neighborhood and dream of living there together. Six years later, we live 10 doors down from each other and get to watch our children grow up together. That is the magic of Alison! She always accomplishes her goals and makes the impossible become possible! I love being a part of her journey!  She is truly my best friend, life coach, and confidant. I could not imagine my life without her by my side!

What it’s like to be Katie’s twin:

Wow, how I LOVE being a twin to my sister Katie. It’s hard to define the relationship or find a comparison, since I do not know any differently, but my husband jokes all the time that Katie is like my boyfriend.  Katie jokes that I would be lost without her.  I would have to say that both my husband and Katie are making accurate statements.  Katie and I could not be any closer but could not be on more opposite sides of the spectrum.  I came out of the womb stacking my shoes neatly under my bed and demanding a schedule, while Katie couldn’t locate her other shoe if you dangled it in front of her face.  High school was fabulous, sharing a car and a cell phone.  Just picture our morning routines trying to get out of the door to school.  If someone recorded our mornings, we could have been very popular reality show.

I am insanely organized, scheduled, sometimes stressed, and have an extreme type A personality.  Katie is relaxed, a bit of a scatter-brain, and a last minute kind of gal, but she embraces life and what is important.  During our 50 conversations daily, 30 weekly get togethers, and constant swapping and babysitting of our kids, Katie knows how to calm me down, bring me back down to reality, and constantly challenges me to find a balance. Katie is my built in psychologist, best friend, xanax, and sister at all hours of the day, and she doesn’t cost anything!  Katie has this magical calmness about her.  She is a very successful doctor, while casually and happily cruising through life without a care in the world or a stress to hurdle over.  Every day Katie inspires me to dream big and go for it, while maintaining my sanity and staying true to what is important in life, like family, health, and friends. In all honestly, my twin is truly my other half.  Again, I do not know any different, but I have to say that there is no bond or relationship like the one between twins.

I am so excited to announce that I will be carrying on the twin tradition in our family! Coming September my son, Luke, husband, Rob, and I will be introducing twins to our family.  We are having a baby boy and a baby girl and could not be any more excited. I cannot wait to see if they will be like Katie and me. Will they be opposites? Will they will look alike?  Will they look out for and protect one another?  Will they fight like cats and dogs in their earlier years like we did?  Will they share the same love and friendship that Katie and I have?  I am really excited to see the dynamics of a brother and sister twin since I only know what having a twin sister is like. I feel so lucky everyday to have my twin and share such a unique and special bond with her.  I could not be more thrilled to be able to see my own children have the same experience with a twin sibling.

Baby Boy Streit and Baby Girl Streit coming September!

Luke is not sure how he feels about his twin sister and brother, but mom and dad are super excited (this is the same t-shirt that my mom dressed Katie and me in when we were babies)!