Happy Birthday, JB!!

Today is my big brother's birthday!!! He turns 32...old, right? :)

{just kidding...maybe!}

So today's post is solely dedicated to him. The guy that tormented me all through my childhood. The guy that would breathe his morning breath on me because he knew it would make me gag. The guy that I would wrestle with in the living room floor. The guy that introduced me to my love of baseball! The guy that gave me three out of my four nieces. The guy that is one of the best dad's I know! The guy that would do anything for me.

Jim Bob and I are eight years apart. So we never got to have that close of a relationship, since we were on two totally different levels. But as we've gotten older our friendship has gotten stronger! I have loved getting to see him grow up into the best man and father he can be. He would do anything for those three little girls. He is constantly putting them first! And he loves them more than life itself.

I am thankful for my brother! Sure, he might still annoy me every now and then. Isn't that what brothers are supposed to do? :) But when it all boils down, I know I could call him at any moment during the day and he'd be there for me!!

To my brother - I hope you have an amazing birthday!! I am blessed to call you my brother. I love you!!!

happy birthday, natalie!!!

Today is my sister's birthday!! So today's post is dedicated solely to her.

{& she turned the big 3-0!!}

Natalie reading me a book :)

Natalie and I are six years apart. Growing up, we shared a room. THAT was an experience. Natalie likes to keep a clean and organized room. I like to keep a..."creative" room. :) Therefore, Natalie and I fought A LOT when we were younger. Not only did she yell at me for not helping her clean, I would get so mad when she would go out with her friends and I couldn't go! The six years just did NOTHING for our friendship. Until she left for college...

I was in going into 7th grade when Natalie was preparing to leave for college. She was so excited. At the time, I was excited too! My thoughts were: "Yes! I get my own room! No one to gripe at me for it not being clean! {other than my parents} No one to share a bathroom or closet with! WOO HOO!" Then came August 12th. The day we moved her in.

We got her all settled into her dorm room. Many trips up and down stairs and to and from the car. Lots of sweat and hard work. So I was ready for it to be done so we could head home. We said our goodbyes. No crying since I was excited for her to move. And then as we got in the car and started driving away, it all hit me. I realized my sister wouldn't be living with us anymore. Sure, she would come home for some weekends. And for the summers. But who was I going to pester? Who was I going to blame stuff on? Who was I going to fight with? Who was going to sleep next to me in my room? And the tears hit.

With that being said, my sister and I became best friends while she was in college. I would go visit her for the weekends. I would take my friends to stay with me so they could hang out with my cool college sister. We would text and talk on the phone. She would even take me on dates with her {now} husband, Nick. There was no more fighting. No more bickering. It was me constantly missing my sister and longing for her friendship. It took her being away from me to realize how much I loved her. THEN later down the road, after getting married - she became pregnant with my niece, Neela. Something clicked and our bond became even stronger. There's something about the birth of a child that just brings people together. And when she made me Neela's godmother, I knew we were much more than sisters. We were best friends.

To my sister - I hope today is the best thirtieth birthday a woman could ever have. You deserve it! Thank you for being not only my sister, but my best friend. I love you!

"Sisters by birth, friends by choice."

                                                    

Love you, Natalie!

my best friend's birthday!

Sooooooo it's another one of my best friend's birthdays!!!

Ashley Brooke (Belcher) Seals is one of my very best friends! We met when we were freshman at OBU! I actually remember the first night we ever hung out! {why? because I'm a freak who remembers stuff like that. I've embraced it.} It was August 26, 2006. She, Lindsey Campbell and Katie Strickland come to my suitemate, Sara's, room and we all played Phase 10! haha! It was fun and I knew that I would be instant friends with all three of those girls! 

Brooke has been such a good friend to me these last 4.5 years! She is super dependable and will be a prayer warrior for you! She will stand up for you. But she will also tell you when you are probably doing something stupid or wrong! haha That is something I admire her [now] for! :)

We were also roommates for 3 years! So I know a LOT more about this girl than you probably want to know :) so I will just leave you with a ton of pictures of Brooke & I through years past! Don't forget to hop on over to Brooke's blog and show her some birthday loooovvveee!

I LOVE YOU BROOKIE!!! :)

Enjoy :)