happy birthday, angie

things i have learned from my much wiser, compassionate, loving, humble, terrific, big sister:

1. how to sprout lentils
2. mini-vans are super cool (ditto for home schooling, adopting, and aqua net hairspray)
3. how to peg my pants (back in junior high, of course)
4. how to drive (not counting our initiation courses with dad in the little red station wagon on that old dirt road that is no longer a dirt road)
5. you CAN make it through mr. vincant's 4th grade class without a pink slip
6. it is actually possible to do devotions in the midst of raising a gaggle of kids while giving them an excitement for knowing God as well. the secret is chocolate milk in a special "devotions only" cup with a fun picture bible...
7. never swallow safety pins. or let your finger get stuck while on the top of the slide when wearing heavy skates
8. celebrate the small accomplishments in life. for instance... burping. "did you hear it? did you hear it?"
9. all my mommy survival tips (like bringing along an icepack while running errands to put in your child's car seat so the buckle doesn't burn them upon re-entry)
10. to always let others go first. or last...like the time all us cousins wanted to ride that electric horse outside of thrifty and aunt susan told us that those who are first on earth are last in heaven and then we all wanted to go last but you made the sacrifice and went first. (i think God is going to make an exception for you.)
11. that if i didn't ask Jesus in my heart, i was going to burn in the lake of fire (as a 3 year-old, this quite literally scared the hell right out of me)
12. raising your voice to your children isn't actually necessary. a smooth calm voice is far more effective (still working on the implementation of this)
13. it really isn't a big deal to let your 5 year old drink orange fanta out of a bottle... as long as she is happy and quiet so we can watch pride and prejudice
14. "a clean house is nice. but the problem is you can start to get used to it."
15. wash cloths make great barbie beds, and are especially fun on barbie camping trips when spread out ALL OVER mom's clean living room
16. we can watch soaps on the little b&w tv as long as we point the back of it to the hallway and turn the channel if we see mom coming
17. its ok to let your younger sibling tag along with you EVERYWHERE (not that i so much applied this myself. but that was because my younger sibling was annoying, and i of course was not.)
18. there is nothing like a really, really good book. most of the best ones i have read came as recommendations from you.
19. that we would recover from the mortification suffered when our mother dumped us out of the van at the busiest corner by the high school since we had made her late for work.
20. motherhood is a marathon, not a sprint. and some days are all about survival.
21. how to share... since you always let me borrow your barbies, clothes, jewelry, car....
22. girls don't call boys (well, except for that one time back in junior high when you called cory for ashley... but he didn't really get it anyway.)
    

thank you for a life lived reflecting Christ in everything you do. i want to be like you when i grow up. happy birthday.

"Sisters share that unique and special relationship that combines friend and family - a bond that is at the same time supportive and enduring. The woman who shares her life with a sister is blessed." -unknown (but stolen from my sister's quotation collection)