Dear Will,
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)
