Happy Birthday Kelli!

This is what happens when you are home all day...lots of time to think and ponder...and write long posts when it happens to be your sister's birthday!

Today is my sister Kelli's birthday. She is ahem...older than me by 4 1/2 years. Seems like an eternity when I write that, but I don't feel the difference between us at all. We have always been close. I grew up with 3 sisters and we are all close - I am so thankful for that. I have alot of hilarious memories with Kelli. She was much more adventurous than me - much braver, way less cautious, and probably alot more fun! I used to hang out in her room and write out her biology vocabulary definitions when she was in high school - because our handwriting was so similar and I didn't mind doing it just so we could hang out! I remember going to 10 pm movies with her, and then sneaking into a midnight showing of another movie! I looked up to her so much in high school - she was always very confident and sure of herself (me, not so much).

She went away to college in Florida (gasp - not Liberty!) and never moved back north again. One summer, she nannied for a family that was insanely wealthy. I bought a plane ticket to FL and flew to visit her for the weekend that was my HS prom - I knew that I didn't care about prom and decided I'd rather spend the money having fun with her! And we did have fun!

We are the biggest "gamers" in our family. Love playing games. Used to play Shanghai Rummy while listening to the Beach Boys all the time. We're probably also the most competitive when it comes to playing games and stuff - we love it!!

Kelli kept our kids for us when we had our 10 year anniversary. Kept all 3 of them for a week and didn't even bat an eye! She drove up to SC when she was 5 months pregnant to help with our kids when we came down here to candidate at the church for the first time and had to bring our kids with us. Jacob wanted to marry Kelli for a long time!

Kelli is also the one that got me into running. She was my inspiration. Would mail me her old running shoes because she knew I wouldn't buy any. She kept telling me "If I can do it, you can do it!" She never got tired of me calling and telling her about the smallest milestone that I had achieved and celebrated them all with me. She flew out to be there for my first half marathon and was the BEST cheerleader!!

Reading is her love - she was a teacher and reading coach for many many years and is now ALMOST finished with her doctorate!!! She has SO much insight and wisdom in the field of education (I always call her after the back to school orientation for my kids to tell her all about their teachers...)!!

After she had her son Joseph, she began staying at home. I have LOVED being able to talk with her throughout the day over these last 2 years!! We have so much fun planning the next adventures, next trip - lately we've been looking at next vacation houses, next races, etc. :)

Happy Birthday Kelli! I hope you feel loved and appreciated today! I am SO thankful that you are my sister and my friend!!!