Double Vision

Just before I left for my mission a peculiar thing started happening to my sister and I . . . people couldn't tell us apart! Strangers in stores even started coming up to us and asking us if we were twins. We would laugh (there's five years between the two of us). Those who knew us casually could tell us apart if we were standing side-by-side but if we were alone they would have to think about it. Little kids that my sister babysat every week would call out: "Hi Avery!" to me as I walked down the hall in church. The week after I went into the MTC a gentleman from church told my sister that he thought I was going on a mission. The whole situation was quite entertaining but also baffling to our family . . . there were definitely some similarities but not enough to get us confused.

Well, over time we forgot about it. I served my mission and returned home . . . only to find that the situation hadn't changed.

Some people I went to high school with saw my sister and welcomed me home from my mission.

Kids from Avery's high school saw me at a frozen yogurt shop and yelled: "Avery!" until I got a little closer and they realized their mistake.

I've even had someone offer me a job (teaching swimming lessons) thinking I was Avery . . . sometimes the situation has its perks.

Recently, we were boating and my dad took a picture of Avery (above) on my phone and posted it to Facebook on my account. Everyone thought it was me. But in fact, the photo on the right it me.

But by far our favorite of all these experiences is our adorable little cousin Emily.

When we went down to Lake Powell for Memorial Day I got to see some of my cousins for the first time since coming home from my mission. My cousin Emily is 4 now, so she doesn't remember me from before the mission. And at the moment Avery is her "chosen one," which is cute.

Throughout the weekend we worked on Emily, helping her remember my name and finally she got it down. That night, Avery and I were star-gazing with Dad when Emily came up and laid next to me. She pointed out some "wishing stars" and we spent some time making wishes. Then Emily wrapped her tiny arms around my neck and squeezed me tight. "You're the best cousin ever!" she cried. "I love you, Avery!" I laughed and told her I was Kenzie. She looked at me and promptly stood up and went to lay next to Avery.

The next day she called me the right name and I couldn't help but tease her. "Are you sure I'm Kenzie?" I pointed to Avery a couple feet away. "Maybe that's Kenzie!"

She looked at both of us for a few seconds and then gave up . . . "You two look the same!"

Just this past Sunday they were in town and came to our house for dinner. When I opened the door Emily was standing on the doorstep, eager to see Avery. She took one look at me and I saw the uncertainty in her face. "Ummm . . ." she said before someone rescued her by telling her that I was McKenzie. "Hi Kenzie!" she said as she skipped into the house, "Where's Avery?"

And so, we continue to revel in the situation.