I’ve decided that from now on, I’m celebrating each year with my cousins. Normally our birthdays in my immediate family are so blah and eh whatever, but with all the kids it’s like YIPPIE YEAHHHH!!!

Before everyone asks… my main present was a new iPhone (upgrading my 3G 8gig to 3GS 32gig… which I have yet to get since everywhere is sold out), and then my dad is buying yet another MacBook so I get his other newest silver one. I love my poor old white baby MacBook, but the processor is soooo slow and I ran out of memory a long time ago.

My momma bought me some real black opal earrings, and my cousins gave me a picture frame with all of them together in it to put in my apartment. =)

Nothing else has been happening in my life that’s remotely interesting that I can publicly blog about.

I can hardly believe you turn fifteen years old today.

I have fleeting memories of your birth. I was six weeks shy of turning four years old. Mom and Dad left me at Nana & Pop-Pop’s off Lawrence Avenue with Aunt RoRo, who french-braided my hair before taking me to the hospital to see you. I got to sit on the bed next to Mom and hold you. I was so excited to be your big sister.

For years, you were my constant companion and partner-in-crime.
When we lived in England in 1996, I got angry with Mom and decided to run away. Obviously I couldn’t leave you with The Enemy, so I took you with me. We ran away to our backyard. Mom laughed and took pictures.
You made fun of the annoying kids in daycare with me and had my back when I fought (both verbally and physically) with them.
We ‘spied’ on Mom and Dad when we lived in Topeka by sneaking out to the living room, where we watched Mom read and Dad type on his laptop. Sometimes I miss that, the thrill of getting yelled at and then trying to smother our giggles when we got back into our room.
Neither of us wanted to move to Virginia. After two years, you were okay with staying there, but you didn’t put up a fight when I lobbied for coming back to Kansas.

I taught you manners and how to chew with your mouth closed. I taught you how to ride a bike. I taught you how to deal with switching schools. I taught you to argue for what you believe in, and how to keep fighting, no matter what.

You start high school, tenth grade, in two weeks. Guess who gets to teach you how to drive!

I have many pseudo-brothers and pseudo-sisters who I’m sincerely concerned for as they enter high school, but I’m not worried about you. You have a good head on your shoulders, and I know you aren’t going to be one of the trashy high school students walking around town. Yeah, you’ll make mistakes. You’re smart, though, and you’re going to be fine.

I love you, baby bro.

-Your Sister

Lawrence KS, Halloween 1995

Cambridge England, 1996… running away

Cambridge England, 1996

Cambridge England, December 1996

Maine??, 1998

Disney World… the first year they started doing Leave a Legacys, 1999

France, summer 2004

Williamsburg VA, 2005

Lawrence KS, Christmas 2005, with Jack the Dog

Sugarloaf ME, February 2006

Disney World, Spring Break 2006, with Brigid

Princeton NJ, October 2006, with Mom

Faribault MN, January 2007

Emerald Isle NC, Spring Break 2007

San Francisco CA, October 2007

Dulles Airport-Washington DC, April 2008

Lawrence KS, Thanksgiving 2008

Lawrence KS, May 2009, with cousin Logan

Old Orchard Beach ME, June 2009, with cousin Jason

and the family portrait…

(Princeton NJ, October 2006)