Wednesday, April 24, 2013

a true story about coach purses and cat ladies

To call my sister a cat lady would be a vast understatement. I'm not sure that any 25-year-old woman ever, in the history of the world, has loved her cats (and dog) with as much passion as my sister. Only she manages to do it in a very cool way-- Sarah's a very hip, outgoing girl...so her cat-lady-ness is merely a funky and endearing part of her personality. But she makes no secret of it. If you're Facebook friends with my sister, you'd better prepare yourself for nonstop photo-documentation of her pets (cats Elroy and Cletis and dog Otis). 

So anyway. Sarah's always looking for bigger and better ways to express her love of her kids, so this weekend when we were shopping and I happened to notice these huge, gaudy, ridiculous cat purses on a rack at a shoe store, I jokingly grabbed one with two cats on it and shouted "SARAH!! Look!!! A purse with Elroy and Cletis!!!"

She nearly lost her mind.


Her unadulterated passion for this purse was immediate and loud. "OH MY GOSSSSHHHHHH!!!! LOOOOOOOK!!!! IT'S CLETEY AND ELROY!!!! It's so bright!! They're so cute!! Everyone will ask about my cats!!!! It's big enough for my iPad!!! I can keep Otis's toys in it!!!! I looooooooooove it!!!!"

She immediately pranced around the store, demonstrating the many excellent features of the purse and admiring how skinny it made her look (not hard- she is already skinny and gorgeous to start with).

And then she made this bold, bold statement, as she tossed her current handbag to the floor with an eye roll of disgust:

"Coach is out. Cats are in."


This is the bag she had been using. A lovely shiny gold Coach tote...roomy on the inside, buttery soft leather, plenty of pockets, large enough for an iPad (not that I have one), a zipper on the top...I'd been admiring it all weekend.

So if Coach is out and cats are in, then.....?????

"Take it. It's yours."

As soon as we were back in the car (she was driving) I was instructed to take everything out of her old purse, organize it (apparently my reputation precedes me), and load it into the new purse. As a reward for my duty, she let me keep the old purse as a token. Just like that. My personal collection of Coach purses just doubled.

And this is the true story of how I got a new purse this weekend. And a few hours after I inherited the purse, I got my new haircut. Not to brag, but don't you wish you had a sister like me?

And now not to be a downer, but you may recall that Sarah's husband is currently deployed. Yesterday he sent some really sad news our way. I'm guessing you can guess what kind of sad news comes from a deployed soldier. Sarah is so strong-- we're incredibly thankful her husband is safe, but getting that kind of news just serves as an unwanted reminder about what he's really doing over there and what the risks are. If you have a minute, would you pray for the safety of our troops? As Sarah laments, "people in the States are 'over' this war, but the fact is that it isn't, and the soldiers that are over there are in an incredibly dangerous situation and still need the support and prayers of their country." So anyway. Show a cat lady some love and say a prayer for her husband, will you?

And remember: Coach is out, cats are in. But since I'm okay with being unfashionable, if you find yourself needing to get rid of some 'out' Coach, send it my way.

21 comments:

  1. Prayers for our troops and for Sarah's husband. Glad he's OK!

    You and your sister could be twinsies if you had blonde hair, or if she had brown hair and bangs :)

    Also, LOVE that coach tote!!

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  2. Sounds like your sister is pretty rad! Also, I love how she ordered you around with changing out her purse though you are the older sister... much how Amanda has always ordered me around, despite me being (1 minute) older than her. Sisters are the best!

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  3. Prayers for your cat-loving sister, and props to you for benefiting from her trade-in!

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  4. Something else your sister is more awesome for than my stinky brothers! They've never given me a Coach!
    Praying for the troops, especially your BIL. The most brave men and women serve and make our county proud!

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  5. Haha that's great!! Her face says it all in that picture! Sending many prayers to our troops and your BIL!!

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  6. I'm praying for your brother-in-law. Are you able to share his first name? If not that's okay, I'll just send prayers for Sarah's husband.

    And obviously you win "The Coolest Sister" competition hands down.

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  7. From one Sarah to another, I'll be sending positive thoughts her way! PS - tell her I love her sandals! :)

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  8. Wowee. I have even more respect for your sister-- I just don't think I could handle having a deployed spouse... heck, I about had a coronary last year when Jordan was in Kenya for 2 weeks without me. Prayers are lifted!

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  9. I have a purse like that but with birds! I love birds! You do have a great sister, lucky girl :)

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  10. First and foremost, I am definitely saying a prayer for your sweet, generous (and slightly crazy (-: ) sister and her husband. I cannot imagine being away from Andrew and having him be in such a dangerous situation.

    Secondly, whoa. That is a gorgeous purse. Hide it someplace in your house so that when she comes to her senses, she doesn't take it back!

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  11. I seriously love you & your sister. If I ever come to your area, I might stalk you! (Ok, not really! But i might have to email you & beg you to meet me for lunch or something!)

    That is HILARIOUS about the cat purse. I actually like it??? It's cute. But it is the kind of thing i'd never actually buy! HA! I love that she gave you her coach purse!

    I'll definitely be praying for our troops, for her husband, and for her!

    xoxo

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  12. Your sister cracks me up! There's nothing like the bond between sisters (in adulthood, at least...my sister and I weren't so fond of each other growing up); there's no one who can bring out my silly side quite like her! You gals make me giggle!

    But on a serious note, Sarah's husband and all of our other servicemen and women are in my thoughts and in my heart.

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  13. I love my two sisters but they have never offered me their coach purse so . . . does your sister want to adopt me for a little while?

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  14. haha i needed this story!! that will never happen in my family, so i will live it out through you! enjoy the purse!!

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  15. Your sister is gorgeous! But, duh, she gets it from you :) And that Coach purse is a timeless classic, perfect for all seasons. She might want it back though, so you'd better get it in writing! Prayers for the troops with a special shout out for Sarah's hubby.

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  16. First of all, she actually bought the purse??? That's just awesome. I thought you were just posting funny pictures of a trip to the thrift store. I think she's my new hero! Also, we are sending prayers for her husband, his company and for her all the way from Colorado!

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  17. Your sister seems like an awesome person to be around. I wish I had a sister that gives me a Coach purse. Lucky you!
    I will keep our troops in my prayers as well as your BIL.

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  18. This story cracked me up! I can totally see Sarah doing that.

    Also, I didn't realize her husband was deployed. Will definitely pray for both of them during this time.

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  19. Prayers going up--especially as Ben is headed out this Dec/Jan, too. Prayers, prayers, and more prayers.
    (That last "prayers" was for more Coach bags--or just A Coach bag--but it still counts, right?)

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  20. prayers for your sis, and how you acquired your new purse is excellent.

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  21. Just amazing!!!!! These designs are specific and i am such a lot enamored withe thesecoach handbags. i do not know why but I'm having imagination of various cartoon characters in these bags and i am such a lot liking it. I'm always probing for new design bags, I'm so glad that I've found your post. Thanks for sharing.

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