Jaunting Sisters

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The Origins of Jaunting with the Kerrs

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When I look back on my life, my fondest memories have to do with my two sisters.

Despite what some experts may negatively label as the "middle child syndrome", I consider myself extremely lucky to be placed in the center of two talented, witty and beautiful siblings.

I often daydream about new ideas and fun creative projects to endeavor together. So trying to think of something enjoyable I could share with my sisters simultaneously gradually came to me as I put some real thought into it: Traveling. We all love to travel and understand the importance of it. Our passion and appreciation for history makes the past come alive when you have the opportunity to experience it in real life.


The Kerr Girls

In most other areas of interest, trying to find commonality between the three of us can be difficult because we are different in many ways.


Julie, the oldest, is the typical first born. A type-A personality leaning toward what some may affectionately call "obsessive-compulsive behavior". Growing up, we were competitive with one another whether that be gymnastics or swimming. We have a documented video of Julie trying to drown me during a freestyle race in order to win. She always figured out a way to still come out smelling like roses. Despite her healthy competitive spirit towards me, she usually included me in her circle. Even in her adolescent years, I was invited to hang with her elite cohorts, known at our school as "The Kerr Klan". I gladly accepted the role as her wacky and silly younger sister, a part I still have yet to outgrow in my thirties. After high school, Julie went on to study at Asbury college and received her Masters in Accounting at the University of Kentucky. She is a numbers kind-of-girl and for me, all I can say is that numbers and I really don't get along. Despite our intellectual differences and contrasting personalities, we remain the best of friends. She truly shaped my character. Her overbearing but good-intentioned behaviors made me more relaxed and agreeable. I found I get along well with most type-A personalities because it's all about being easy going and letting them be in control (no offense Jules!). She teaches me how to be more responsible, creates spending budgets for me in her spare time, and in turn, I tell her to relax and not to worry about circumstances so much. We both need one another to stay balanced. And that is where the sisterhood bond is the most effective.

My relationship with Jill, the youngest sister, went a little bit differently growing up. She was three years behind me in school, sort of separating our groups of friends in terms of age. Even as a toddler, she was very opinionated and headstrong. I had the task of dropping her off at kindergarten on my way to third grade. One day she decided she didn't feel like going into class, and I had to stand out in the hallway and beg her to reconsider. Nothing would change her mind even after my pleading and eventual crying. I had to retrieve my teacher to coerce Jill into going to class. She eventually relented and proceeded into her normal routine, but I was amazed that she could show such willpower. Despite her obstinance, Jill and I continue to be creative soul mates. Growing up, we spent long hours developing different board games from scratch or devising blue prints for our humble 72,000 sq. ft. dream homes. This continued onto adulthood where we attended the same college, received the same degrees in graphic design and formed a design company together. I realize that working with someone like my sister, we get the maximum creative ability out of one another because we can be completely honest with each other. Jill is a wonderful cook and a hopeless romantic, two traits we do not have in common. She loved all things Victorian and became borderline obsessed with reading. I remember Julie and I looking out the window one day and there was Jill, fully dressed in what seemed like a costume from Gone With the Wind complete with a homemade hoop skirt, wandering around our property twirling a parasol. She stopped to let a butterfly rest on her glove and gently let it flutter away. Julie and I glanced at each other and burst into laughter at our whimsical sister. At age eleven, she composed a short story entitled "Burning Desire". My mother was quite shocked at the scandalous title until she realized that it was basically "Ann of Green Gables" with the names changed. That's what makes Jill who she is. Julie and I have both said that Jill is the best version of both of us. She was Valedictorian like Jules but also Class President like me and received a great scholarship for college. She could have chosen any subject and excelled, both creatively and intellectually.

I know some families don't experience the same closeness as my sisters and I share. Trying to explain this feeling of sisterhood is difficult to put into words. It's like a best friend who understands where you've came from, your same inside jokes and sense of humor. Our parents never really gave us the option not to be friends. They always emphasized that what the three of us had was special and to never take that for granted. Being the middle sister has allowed many advantages during life to travel with my siblings individually. Julie and I traveled to Miami, New York City, Madrid, Segovia and a crazy trip to Costa Rica. With Jill, I enjoyed traveling to Las Vegas, Cancun, Greece, Italy, Spain, Austria and the Czech Republic.

When I first brought up the idea of doing a travel blog, I really wanted to focus the theme and message to be about love. Loving life, loving your family and loving this beautiful world that God created. Why? Because Life is short. To quote Ferris Bueller, "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." Plus, on a lighter note, traveling is just cool, plain and simple. Cool is my go-to word. I was asked once what my definition of cool was. I jokingly replied, "Whatever I think is neat". 

Jaunting with the Kerr Sisters is a site you can come to and get inspired to keep traveling. We hope that while reading this, you will be able to relate to one of us and compare similarities in your own life. We don't claim to be expert travelers -- we're just trying to share some of our experiences and tips along the way of what has worked for us and what decisions have turned into a total disaster.  Even if your trip is a disaster it's still good because I've come to realize that traveling mishaps are the best tales to tell at parties. You'll definitely be invited back!


© 2013 Jaunting Sisters.
Written on Friday, 12 November 2010 00:00 by Jenny Kerr

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