I just noted on Facebook via my friend Jana Last, that today, April 10, is National Siblings Day.
Who knew?!
Jana learned about it herself via Facebook and reposted it there. I had to find out more so I “googled” the term. That led me to this site for the Siblings Day Foundation. There, I read that the SDF is a public, non-profit charity “devoted to establishing National Siblings Day for the benefit of our families, our communities and our nation.”
Its goal is to make it a federally recognized day, like Mother’s and Father’s Days. It also led me to this article that ran in the International Business Times a couple of years ago. For all the facts on National Siblings day, click here.
In the meantime, a salute to my 7 siblings–Barbara, Diane, Dorothy, Colleen, Gerry, Brian and Vinnie–from your kid sister, Patti. These four images–the only ones I’m aware of with all of us together–were taken over the last 59 years:
1955: The Desmond siblings (and a few other ancillary relatives) on the front porch, 717 Hawley Street, Kalamazoo, MI a few years after moving to Michigan from Chicago, IL
1956: A more formal pose of the eight Desmond siblings and their parents just prior to Diane’s departure from the family to join the convent.
1983: The Desmond sibs gathered for my wedding day August 20, 1983.
2012: The Desmond siblings (in order of their arrivals between 1936 and 1953) Barbara, Diane, Dorothy, Colleen, Gerry, Brian, Vinnie, & Patti.
Officially recognized yet, or not: Happy Siblings Day, to one and all!
Copyright © 2014 Patricia Desmond Biallas
GeneaJourneys 
Love this, mom! I also distinctly remember a more recent sibling photo where all of you are kicking your legs in the air. Love seeing all these sibling photos in one place!
I guess I better look for that one, Meg. Must have been taken awhile back when all of us were able to easily kick up our heels!
Love it! In your last picture (2012), the fourth one from the left is my dear, dear friend whom I only get to see once a year – your sister, Colleen.
I did not know about National Siblings Day, but strangely enough, this past Sunday, I visited with some cousins I had not seen in a long time, and we had the greatest time sharing old pictures of our parents and THEIR siblings. There were nine of them, and we all had different pictures to share, scan, and bring home to add to our collections. Now I can share all of those photos with my own siblings – one brother and one sister. Sadly, we are scattered along the east coast from Vermont to North Carolina, so we don’t get to see one another as often as we’d like – especially my sister in North Carolina.
Love your postings! Keep them coming!
Well, Phyllis, that’s one way to keep up with your old friend, Colleen! Glad you enjoyed the post. Now you can have fun putting all those old family photos together that you got from your siblings. Thanks again for following the Desmond clan here on GeneaJourneys.
Wonderful post! I think I might see a siblings blog post in my future – thanks for the inspiration!
Thanks, Debi. You SHOULD do it! I hope lots of people do the same, whether it’s “Siblings Day” or not. It’s fun to see how families progress through time. Thanks for following me on GeneaJourneys.
These are awesome photos! And thanks for the mention too. =)
I want to let you know that your blog post is listed in today’s Fab Finds post at http://janasgenealogyandfamilyhistory.blogspot.com/2014/04/follow-friday-fab-finds-for-april-11.html
Have a wonderful weekend!
I wouldn’t have known about Siblings Day if you hadn’t posted it on FB, Jana, so I guess we inspired each other! Thanks back atcha’ for the mention on your “Fab Friday Finds”!
What a wonderful group and little change over the years (…or is my eyesight deteriorating?) Thanks for this.
Dorothy Desmond Vaughan (#3)
You’re welcome, Dorothy, and you’re right, not much has changed in our family at all over the past 59 years (…except for the fact that I no longer wear little fluffy pink dresses and you no longer wear saddle shoes.) P. (#8)