*This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group™ and Open Me, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #OpenMeHoliday http://cmp.ly/3/8vNxcO.
If you read the Sweet Life regularly, you might also read my sister Lindsey’s blog, Out for a Run or see my other sister Shelby’s extremely funny tweets. I am extremely lucky to have grown up with two great sisters who I had a blast with as a kid. We were always playing make believe games together, pretending we were models or making up dances to be on Star Search.
As we’ve gotten older, our relationships have only gotten richer. It’s interesting what you start to realize that depth of your siblings, things you never noticed earlier in life. In both of my sisters, I’ve seen great parenting and of course they’ve brought me the three most wonderful kids an Aunt could love.
This holiday season, I want to honor my sister Lindsey with a customized card from Open Me. Since we live far apart, I value a cool website that allows me to choose and customize a personalized card to send her. It’s so hard standing in the card aisles finding the perfect one — much better to view a selection online, especially now that stores are so crazy busy.
I found a sweet card she would like, to help honor the amazing year she’s had. Some have probably read about her discovery of the BRCA 2 gene and her subsequent decision to have a preventative double mastectomy to get rid of a very high percentage chance of developing breast cancer.
This wasn’t an easy decision, especially for Lindsey, who has dealt with fear her entire life. When I say that, what I mean is she can get overly worried or fearful about health problems or freak accidents. She took those fears head on even just go take the test to see if she had the gene. Once it was confirmed, pro-active fearlessness was called for and she summed up the strength to do that.
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It was easy! You just pick the occasion you are looking for — and then there is a drop down menu for the different types of categories within that occasion. You can sort the cards by newest or popular. Then you get 1-3 pages of options depending on the category you choose (see examples in the graphic below.)
All of these cards are really unique and like nothing you will find searching at the grocery story — which is why I really like this site.
After you select the card, you can customize the inside with a personal message, add a photo, as well as add a photo on the back side. Then, you can just preview the card, decide if you want to send it online or through snail mail, schedule the date and send away. Another cool feature is that you can sign in with Facebook and find all your photos from there easily — as well as post the finished card to Facebook if you prefer. (Open Me is on Facebook here!)
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All the while, she was raising her new baby, becoming a coach and adjusting to life as a new mom. Like Lindsey always has, she inspired me. She’s the one who inspired me to run marathons and one of the first people that truly inspired me to begin volunteering. Lindsey worked for Back on My Feet — which is how I first got involved. She also worked at a senior citizens center in a low-income area and always seemed to connect so well with people so unlike her. It’s what made me realize that I have that ability too — and I’m so thankful because that has been a huge blessing to my life.
Last but not least, she is always there for me. I can call her with any problem and get unbiased, sisterly advice that I really value. I have said it before and I’ll say it again, I am blessed beyond belief to have an amazing family — and this year, my sister Lindsey has been such a major part of that.
