happy birthday to my sister

this is maria the first time i met her (after she and jared were dating--this picture is from the weekend i came down to meet her as jared's girlfriend). i met her that one other time at metro coffee house, and wondered to myself who exactly this maria thomas was, and if my brother loved her. turns out he did.

tomorrow you'll be 22. weird that i didn't know you four years ago, and now you're my sister and best friend.

on your birthday i want you to know, that i couldn't have dreamed up a better person to marry my brother. ever ever. you have a big heart (and regular sized hands), and i learn a lot from who you are. thanks for being my partner in crime in this new life here in charlotte.

also:

• thanks for helping me out with the babies more times than i can count.
  
• i love our sunday mornings, going to starbucks (when we can afford it, french press when we can't) together after jared has gone super early to work.
• you love beulah even though you're allergic, and you pretend like it doesn't bother you even when you're sneezing.
• you're a GREAT wife to jare.
• thanks for taking the time to know me and love me well.

happy birthday maria!!! i hope it is a great day, and maybe they won't call you in to work!

to my friend

(this, my friend, i'm sorry to say, is the only picture of the two of us on my computer taken on the morning after your slumber party last year)

dear jessi,

remember when i lived with you? in that yellow house? oh yeah, me too.

there are a lot of things i could write about you as a friend. people see the wisdom that is evident in your actions, and the love that is freely given to those around you (both far and near). that's easy to see. people admire the confidence with which you and nick walk this road you're walking, not because you have it all figured out, but because you don't.

i love all those things about you, yes. but here's what i want to talk about on your birthday. my favorite non-important, non-life-altering moments from living with you.

• how much you wanted to be in/plan faythe and jimmy's wedding
• you holding my cell phone ransom
• ice cream nights
• fights about LOST
• taking the girls to see baby mama, and you being so excited to drive. by yourself.
• your to-do list for me while y'all were in the carolinas.
• when we first started spinning class.
• any time we cooked something (your bday cake last year, thanksgiving, etc.)
• your interpretation of the 'so you think you can dance' dance from last season. and yes, it is still on my computer.
• anytime we'd have to be a team and go regulate with one of the girls (too soon? still too raw?)
• remember when i had to go to a certain girl's baby shower by myself. have we ever talked about how awful that one really was?
• you leaving a pregnancy test on my night stand while my parents were visiting.
• anytime one of those freaking cats would get in the house, and you would run around trying to corrall them.
• you puking on middle school volunteers (not on, i guess)
• ANY interview we did with potential girls (britney, me and faythe walking in in our pajamas)
• the morning after your birthday slumber party last year, playing trivial pursuit in the dungeon with you, nick, thadd and marilee. and the babies of course.
• lunch times with the connollys (amy's meals)
• trying to sneak in the musick's garage to get some diet coke
• bomb threat at h&m
• absolutely any time we talked about pregnancy questions during the weekly meetings.

part of me feels like i'm forgetting a lot of funny moments from the year, and the other part thinks maybe there weren't a whole ton of hilarious moments. BUT, i would not have lasted through it without you.

i hope you have a wonderful day today, I LOVVVVVEEEE YOU.

Favorite Women

I want to talk about a couple of things before the madness begins tomorrow.

NieNie.

It's been a year since I first heard/read about Stephanie Nielsen's plane crash, and I have been challenged and broken-hearted by her courage (her entire family's, truly). Tonight, after I realized I had forgotten to eat dinner, I sat down with my bowl of cereal and thought I'd check in and see if Nie had posted anything new on her blog. Here's the thing, Stephanie was burned over 80% of her body. Not only is that an incredibly difficult recovery from medical standpoint, but from an emotional one as well. Up until now she had not posted a picture of her new self (a new outside at least) on her blog.

When her page came up tonight, I gasped. Not because what I saw was shocking, but because what I saw was this woman I'd come to know over the last year. New. Changed. Alive. And achingly beautiful in tranperancy and bravery.

It may seem silly to say, but after praying for her over this year, I consider her my friend, and seeing her face tonight really blessed my heart (there's a button on my right sidebar to her blog).

I also need to talk about Jessi. In forty five minutes (east coast time) it will be her birthday. I thought a lot today about what I could or would want to say about my friend. But I am going to wait until tomorrow to write her a proper post. Because I've erased and rewritten like six things.

For now though, Happy Birthday Jessi!!!

9,125 days (a photo essay)

this is what a 25 year old looks like brushing her teeth

today has been a terrific day already, thanks to friends and family.  woke up to several texts and sweet emails from YOU.  

yummmm

had a normal morning, dropped Beulah off at 'school' (that's right..), went to east boulevard starbucks, and got myself a bagel and some coffee.  

morning commute

got a hilarious message from my brother and sister-in-law (that's right, i call you that now, and have for several weeks).  

jessi wrote an amazing blog wishing me happy birthday, and gave me the BEST gift possible.  a shot of baby 3.  i cried.  

thank you, jess.

i've had a normal day with the babies.

my bosses.

i decided to pack them up and head to south park mall to treat myself to a nice little drink or maybe a new shirt or something.  (too bad i got in and couldn't find my debit card..had some cash, crisis sort of averted).  i drove up at the house, and found this:

2 strawberry and 2 red velvet:)

my parents sent me the sweetest little package of cupcakes!  

such a treat!

the babies are down for their nap (sort of..i hear you mr. b, don't play).  regular afternoon, and then take-out ethiopian food/blockbuster night with ally.  sweet day.  

thank you friends!