Sweet Caroline

As it happens every year, my sister Caroline's birthday comes one day after my Mom's birthday! While Caroline's birthday is not a landmark like Mom's 60th, it's a birthday all the same which is ALWAYS a landmark! Caroline is the oldest sister in our family, and today she turns 25. Woohoo - halfway through the 20's!

Caroline has always been a source of inspiration - she is goal oriented, focused, and tenacious. She is without a doubt one of the most uniquely passionate people I have ever met. She's taught me much about determination, self-confidence, and independence. I have loved watching her navigate her passions, working hard to find her niche and rocking it once she did. Caroline has undoubtedly the coolest job of anyone I know - she is a stage manager for various theater shows and spends her years traveling the country on tour. She's worked with several shows over the years and been to just about every city in the U.S. She's been touring for about four years now, and I still can't get over how cool her life is. She's getting paid to travel. That's the dream, y'all.

So Caroline, I am so proud of you pursuing your dream and leading the wonderful life that you do! The very happiest of birthdays to you and thanks for all the love and advice over our years of sisterhood and friendship. Cheers to you and all the fun that's still to come!

MUAH!

Mom

I tried to come up with a clever, catchy, inside joke title, something that would provoke tenderness, familiarity, and that "awwww" factor. Something that would give you some insight to how much I love my Mom, all that she's done for me, and how much I think she should be celebrated. But really, there's nothing that does that better than just that singular name. We all have that soft spot in our hearts for the word Mom. We all know the tenderness, the devotion, the love that is linked with a Mom.

My mom turns 60 today and I know that this is going to be her best decade yet. So I wanted to take a little time to celebrate her tonight. I can't be in Dallas for the actual party, so I'm going to celebrate her from where I am now, sitting on my couch, apartment-bound thanks to the sheets of ice building up outside. Now I'm not complaining: I celebrated her all day today since school was cancelled, and I'll celebrate her all day tomorrow since school's cancelled then too!

So, let's take a minute to talk about my Mama. That sweet, soft-spoken, kind-eyed, lovely lady who I've had the pleasure of knowing for 22 years. She is most certainly a woman of the South: loving, respectful, hospitable. But she is also a woman of the Lord: pursuing Him and pursuing her family so that we might pursue Him as well. She is intentional with her time, serving and loving others. She pours into so many lives, so richly. I am so proud of how she guides and loves those around her. She raised us in a home that I wouldn't trade for the world. I can only hope my home might be a sliver of what it was. My mom is my friend, my supporter, and my enabler (in the best way of course). She encourages me, she speaks reason into my life, and she helps me believe that I really can do great things. Quite frankly she's just awesome.

Mom, I so look forward to all of the wonderful things that you have waiting for you in this decade and all the fantastic adventures we have left together. So cheers to that, Mama.

Way to go Mom. Thanks for loving us all so well. We love you to the moon and back!