Laura Tuesday!

Thought I'd switch it up. Just for kicks. Maybe I should blog about real life someday.
(PS I was looking for a really AWESOME pic of Laura to use but I could not pass this up. It's too much.)

What time is it?

It's Valentimes!

Tuesday!

TRACIE-BIRTHDAY-GIRL-TOMORROW-TUESDAY

I'm posting this now because it's Tuesday and I'm trying to be on top of things, but really, tomorrow is Tracie's birthday. She's going to be 19, you know. And I realize that I don't typically do birthday shout outs and dedications but I figure that since I have a whole post series dedicated to her ravishing beauty, it's ok.
Once upon a time, I was almost 12. I still remember the night that I was laying in bed falling asleep and heard my parents talking and my mom said that she was either sick or pregnant and I had to bite my tongue to keep from shouting my excitement. Sorry I eavesdropped. I'm a rude person. I think they announced the news to us at dinner one night and I had to really try and not let on that I already knew. But I did know something everyone else didn't: I knew it was a girl. I even bet and won a brown topper from Arctic Circle (I think) on it. And when the phone rang at 5:30 in the morning and I found out I had a new sister, I couldn't contain myself and called several people with the news. I couldn't sleep, why should they?
Well. I loved my new baby. My baby, mind you. I loved to dress her up in different outfits and take pictures of her, which was a lucky day because film was expensive. I loved to hold and snuggle with her. One of my favorite things was when she would wake up (or I would shake her crib and wake her up) with me while I was getting ready for school and I would rock-rock with her while we watched a Disney movie then she would fall asleep and I would finish getting ready. Sometimes we would sit out on the porch when it was good weather, Tracie wrapped in her Mickey Mouse quilt, and wait for my ride to come.
Then, somehow, she grew up. She came to Oakcrest with me, visited me at college, and wrote me the funniest, most random letters on my mission. There were always many exclamation points used in her letters. I have always felt super protective of her and probably always will, which we have found is both good and bad. I have a really cool house to hang out in, but I can't handle driving with her. Remember, because she is only 12. She shouldn't be allowed to drive. Sorry, but you shouldn't. I'll try and work on that because I know it is annoying. I nag too much because I think I have this infinite wisdom that must be shared at all times. I try to keep her from making any of the same mistakes I did and have already told her that I will sell a kidney on the black market before she even thinks about taking out student loans.
Really, I think what I'm trying to say is that I truly lucked out in the family department. We didn't know it then and we certainly didn't believe our mom when she told us, but I am honestly best friends with my siblings. I have the best sisters in the world and I probably don't tell any of them that enough. I like that I'm the crazy one in the family because then I don't have to deal with one. I love that we can spend hours talking and laughing and just being. In some sick way, I think it's great that I get jealous of my sisters friends and how often they hang out with them and not me. :) [editor's note: I think it's really funny when my students write the sideways smiley faces on their papers and my board and basically everywhere. . .like that is all they know.] I've said it before, but I'm super-duper-up-to-heaven glad that my brothers married such amazing girls; they (my brothers) aren't the only ones that lucked out.
And with allll those words, I just hope that Tracie Louise Paul has a really stellar birthday.
I love you fart face!
Oh, and happy groundhog day. Please bless that winter will be over next week.