The twins bear middle names of my sister and I along with remarkably similar traits. I find this to be an amazing gift, you see, they are our mini me’s!
Could we have known this upon naming them ten years ago? No. Their mother argued at length over using our names and we finally won this argument by declaring that we were the last living line of twins and therefore, were entitled to this decision in at least a moderate role.
Makenna Marie is a perfectionist. Should something be amiss in her clothing, toys, or even her food- look out and wait for a wail, growl or tantrum. Makenna must have order in everything she does from her backpack to her accessories, she ironically bears my middle name as well as many of my desires of presentation and form she is articulate.
Maryssa Ann could care less if her hair is brushed or, her clothing is on backwards! She never puts anything in the proper place and prefers to play and have fun. Organization for Maryssa has no place in her life. She is a “good time Charlie.”
Makenna must be the best at everything she does from schoolwork to board games. She also must win at any challenge, from putt putt to arcade games. Losing at anything is difficult for her.
Cindy Daniel is a perfectionist at dressing and caring for the Tiny Texas Twins- everything from their head to their toes is planned weeks in advance by my sister who spends long hours hand crafting custom headbands, Tutus and items for these little darlings.
The ONLY important thing in my sisters life is and always will be the Tiny Texas Twins!
My twin sister Cindy believes that her pajama choices of her husbands boxer shorts and ill fitting t shirts splattered with paint from one of her ongoing “projects” related to making or creating another unique fashion accessory for the tiny Texas Twins. Answering the door to even a mailman or delivery person, Cindy could care less what they may be thinking. You see, she’s constantly working on one thing or another for the twins. She never shops for herself- she shops for them. She puts her own needs aside and her primary focus will be the children first.
At one event, Cindy arrived wearing what would appear to be a servers apron. Horrified, I asked why she was wearing this particular article of clothing. Her answer was perhaps as ridiculous as the apron, “this is more convenient than having to carry a camera bag. I was at a restaurant and decided to go but several-I love them!” I have tried (for years) to force my style of fashion upon my sister. She also LOVES house moccasins that she assumes (mistakenly) strangers think are real shoes! She loves them and has a pair in every color.
Sharing hotel rooms with my sister and the tiny Texas Twins when traveling can be humorous at best and frustrating when attempting to locate an article belonging to me that is always “lost” in the barrage of personal belongings strung from one end of the hotel room all the way to the door.
I am the one who carefully straightens and puts the towels in the proper place prior to ringing for the bellman. Embarrassed at any remote possibility that someone would assume that I had any hand in the explosion of personal articles thrown about the room in such a way that it would appear we had been ransacked and robbed- my desire for presentation is often the butt of numerous jokes amongst my family!
Throughout our travels, my items are always “lost” when mixed with the hobo like pile of rubble that within minutes of opening a hotel door seem to take over any and all spaces not limited to either the bathroom or the bedroom areas.
Prior to returning rental cars, I visit a car wash and carefully remove the trash and chaos prior to vacuuming and use air freshner to remove the smell of stale French Fries. Heaven forbid they might think that it was I who trashed the vehicle since it was I who had rented it.
Keeping the twins happy and well adjusted as well as perfect at all times takes precedence over most everything in my sisters life- everything else is secondary.
When Cindy sleeps over at Wortham World, she brings with her the chaotic Bermuda Triangle of perpetually “lost” items at our home. On numerous occasions, I have located a “lost” article of clothing under the beds and even a stiff hotdog prior to moving from our previous residence! Had I known a hot dog had spent years under a guest bed, I would surely have been unable to get a moments sleep.
Preparing food at my home requires proper presentation along with everything else in my life. Dressing a plate is similar to dressing myself. One thanksgiving my sister decided that she would host the dinner herself- the results of this holiday escapade continue to remain fresh in everyone’s minds (along with smoke inhalation) right along with the Chinese buffet we were forced to eat at after the turkey caught on fire from being broiled and, tin foil was found (by me, of course) amongst the sweet potatoes. Burnt on the outside and bloody on the inside, the turkey was unsalvageable!
Cooking for my sister is on a high setting and accomplished at the quickest possible time frame. You see, she prides herself on accomplishing this hideous task as quickly as humanly possible. Luckily, her husband would eat burnt toast- and like it.
I don’t believe in quick items for the kitchen or convenience. Boxed mash potatoes have no place in my home, I make actual potatoes with real butter and, chives.
Makenna and Maryssa have for some unknown reason, told me that potatoes in a box are better than my carefully and artistically perfect potatoes-I’m baffled as to how such a thing could occur.
Proper silver at place settings is unheard of at my sisters home. In fact, over the years I have purchased so many sets of dishes and flatware that I’m unable to give an exact number! How do you “lose” silverware?
Expensive cotton sheets are missing the top or bottom halves. When I question my sister about these “lost” items I’ve purchased she shrugs “oh well, why do you need a top AND bottom sheet? What’s the point.” Am I the only person on the planet who believes that guest towels are to view and most assuredly, NOT for use?
Perhaps it is these remarkable differences in both sets of these Texas Twins that keeps our family and friends laughing with hilarity at our stories of life’s moments in either houses or hotels.
Opening a closet at Cindy’s can easily cause a head injury. You see, when attempting to change the sheets after noticing that they were unmatched, I further attempted to located a lost match to either the top or, at the very least, the bottom sheet. Horrified at being attacked by a linen closet stuffed floor to ceiling in the expensive sets I’ve purchased that fell on my head- I asked what the hell is going on? These sheets should be washed at the same time and, put away together with the matching pillow cases. Years later, the trend of nothing matching on the beds continues to bother me.
Fun loving and feisty, Cindy is the life of the party! Her laugh fills the room, her comedy antics and observations keep me laughing and, she’s my buddy!
Our twin friends around the world often tell us they are the same in EVERY way. What happened to us? Did I attempt to control every aspect of our lives to such an extent that much like a child rebelling, my sister went the other direction?
My son who spent 18 years in my home perfectly coiffed threw presentation out the window with his departure. It is I who insist on taking him for regular haircuts and attempt to throw away items that view as unworthy of taking up space in his closet, am met with resistance.
Continuing to hope for some of my style choices and ethics of living in Fort Worth, Texas, it has come to my attention that not everyone carefully educated by me for years has taken any of my advice to heart but, there’s always Makenna Marie!
Comments by Wendy Wortham