Bren, OMG, can I ever relate to you. My sibs are 8, 10, 12 and 13 years older than me. I am also 39. Every time one of them introduces me to someone, they say, "This is my little sister." I am never not going to be 5 years old, as far as they're concerned. It's something I finally had to learn to deal with.

However, things have started turning around in the last year. They include me more. When I was in the loony bin in Feb. for being suicidal, the one I am least close to called me daily, and then emailed me at least a couple times a week for a while to see how I was. They invited me on a sisters-only weekend in April, around my birthday. They've been actually pretty supportive. So I guess there's hope, but it took a long darn time coming and I'm still wary of it. I like my family of choice a lot better than my family of origin, for the most part.

I'm glad you have people outside your birth family you can count on too.

Candy