Happy Birthday Mel!

Today is my oldest sister Melisa's 34th birthday! She's eight year's older than me so this one of me as a baby, and Lacy and her, is the best I could find of us as little girls. It reminds me of why we didn't know each other that well growing up... eight years is a big gap, when you're 10 and 18. But now I'm slowly catching up, and getting to know my sweet sister as an adult has been one of the best things about growing up. She's loyal, and genuine, almost incapable of being pretentious. And she's an amazing wife and mother. She's firm in her ideas and opinions and isn't easily swayed by people or circumstances-- to me, that's totally a big-sister quality, boasting that confidence I hope to have some day. She seems to think wisely about everything she says, never putting her foot in her mouth-- That probably sounds like a funny thing to notice or admire, but when you suffer from foot-in-mouth as often as I do, you notice. She's smooth and elegant, an artist and interior designer by nature.

I remember when I was in High School, she moved back in for a summer before she met her husband and all three of us girls lived in the "garage room". Three beds took up the whole room and it should have been a nightmare, but I was honored to share such close quarters with her. I LOVED watching her do yoga in the backyard (and trying to mimic her) and get ready for work in her slinky skirts and heels each morning. She had SUPER short platinum hair back then, and of course...I loved her hair. I think it's just innate... thinking your big sister is the coolest, loving everything she does, and wears, and says. I don't think I'm quite as crazy as I sound.?? And my respect for her makes me that much more excited for Sophia to be that big sister some day.

Big sisters are the best.