{nineteen-eighty-four}

On this day, 25 years ago, my life changed forever...

I got a baby sister.

Seriously - has it already been 25 years?

I can't recall how I felt about it at the time, being I was only 19 months old & all - but I can recall how I've felt about her the past 25 years...

I can recall sharing a tiny room with her not because we had to, but because we wanted to.

Even when the one of us got in a tizzy and broke the other one's cheerleading trophy.

I can recall getting so upset when she called me about her first major wreck that I almost threw up.

Instead, I just yelled at her really good when I got to the scene. I was just so thankful she was okay & not hurt & I was so mad at her for scaring me so badly.

I can recall staying the night at Ninner's & laughing ourselves silly & breathless... until the kicking started, because she was so over on my side of the 'line'.

The last time we both spent the night there together, just a few years ago... the same thing occurred.

Poor Ninner. It drives her crazy.

I can recall thinking how crazy I thought she was for getting up at 5am just to do her hair for school.

She's never had a problem getting up early for things, something we all know I simply cannot do - not to mention her hair is still fab.

I can recall taking a pair of shoes I knew that I hadn't worn back to the store, only to have the Clerk lift them out of the box to see that they were in fact, worn. I knew exactly who the culprit was.

Although I'd get fired up when she'd steal my clothes & shoes, I sure did love getting to share everything with her.

I can recall how in her younger years, she could only wear certain brands of clothing & only carry certain bags & such.

I am so proud of her for having a career in something that she not only loves, but that she is incredibly wonderful at. Have I mentioned she has a designer handbag named after her because she's just that awesome??

I can recall us driving home from school in the afternoons, jamming out to Faded and All My Life with all the windows down in the Golden Nugget, shifting gears as quick as I could.

It thrills my heart that she comes over & rocks out to Miley with me; & better yet, shows Ava some pretty sweet dance moves. She's got skills.

Of course, I can also recall the fights we had growing up over little & big things, this, that & the other.

But even through the fights, I know she's my Sister & no matter what, I will always love her & would never want to hurt her intentionally {execpt for that bloody nose that one time - still sorry for that one}.

I can recall her going through a period where she'd mix mayonaise with her ketchup to dip her fries in.

That's just disgusting, I don't care who ya' are.

She is one of the funniest, smartest, and most beautiful people I know.

And even though she's back closer to home, our lives are still busy as ever & I miss her hanging out with us during the day - just because she can - or taking us to places we've never been before that were right under our noses or calling me {blowin' me up} 4 bazillion times a day just to tell me what she's doing or to call the campus police for her {HA!}.

What a remarkable young woman she has grown to be in the past 25 years...

My Marrreeeeee-eee-eee-yaaa-

Maria, I love you.
Happy Birthday.