I haven't written in quite a while because Kaylyn, Derek and the girls have been here since November 13 and I've been trying to spend as much time as possible with them.

It's been so fun to have my sister here. She's my best friend and I just love being around her. She's truly one of the most incredible people I know. I'm absolutely confident that the girl can do anything, because I have yet to see her attempt something that she hasn't been able to do a fantastic job with. She's a great cook, she can sew (she made me the cutest strap covers for my camera AND an awesome apron as of just recently), she can draw, she's crafty (you should see some of the fun stuff she's made!) and she's probably the most patient mother I've ever seen. It's been so much fun to watch as she's transitioned into being a wife and a mom and to see how smitten she is with her kids and how smitten they are with her. I hope that whenever it's my time to be a mom that I'll be able to do it as well as she's done so far.

In addition to all of that fantastic-ness, my sister is the most loyal of friends and has spent countless hours as my sounding board, "vent-ilator", confidant and protector. More often than not, when I have a problem, she's the only person I really want to talk to about it and one of the VERY few whose opinion and advice I take to heart. She's somehow always been able to say what I need to hear...even if it's not what I want her to say and I really appreciate that. She's always been my leading example of the kind of person I want to "grow up" to be like, even though she's a year and a half younger than me. (Derek, I PROMISE YOU...she was, and still is, the boss when we were growing up. No question.)

There have been a few instances in the last few years especially where I've needed someone to come to my rescue and she's been that one every time. I don't know, in those situations particularly, what I would have done without you, Kaylyn. Thank you. I love you.

As I've watched my nieces play and interact with each other while they've been here, I can't help but imagine myself and Kaylyn at that age...Corin and Kendall aren't much farther apart in age than Kaylyn and I are...and then try to envision how they'll grow up together. I'm sure they'll have all the same sorts of "growing up" experiences that Kaylyn and I had being as close as we are in age...sometimes it'll suck, sometimes it'll be great...but I hope that when they get to be our age, they look back and appreciate and love each other as much as Kaylyn and I do. There's nothing better than a sister. For sure.