Oct 20 means....

It is my sister's birthday!!

Happy Birthday to Caroline! 

I am so glad we're truly best friends :)

It is amazing to me that we made it through such an up-and-down childhood.....

check it:

Childhood:

-We frequently hit each other

-We played Barbies and American dolls all.the.time. But I always told her who to be and what circumstance we'd be playing in.

-We ran around outside and did everything.

-She punched me more than I did her (I was a big baby)

-We danced together in various classes.... and sometimes naked (on a porch outside. Long story. But pretty sure I convinced her to do it.)

-I watched her hit her head and gush blood....like 4 times.

-One of those times I threw a bowl at her head. Stitches were needed....for the 4th time.

-We talked until the late hours of the night--which drove my mom cArAzY

HS:

-We shared clothes (aka she took clothes from my closet numerous times)

-We fought about clothes. All. The. Time.

-We went to early morning seminary together for 2 years.

-I always thought Caroline was gorgeous (hello blue eyes and brown hair!) so when my friends in HS saw Caroline her freshman year & came up to me and said "We thought you had dyed your hair brown!" I was immediately flattered

-We played sports together (field hockey and lacrosse) in HS--and I think this is where we started to become closer....

-We shopped, watched movies, and baked together. A lot during high school!

-We still fought quite a few times about clothes during HS. Le sigh.

College:

-We talked every week on the phone my freshman year at BYU

-She wrote me every week while I served a mission in Germany/Austria

-I was the first to find out she was getting engaged ;)

-We lived together in college for 4 months before her wedding....and she totally helped me recover to being *more normal* after the mission

Halloween 2007--2 months before she got married

-We both majored in health related fields, and feel strongly about healthy living

-Caroline is super witty and funny<---I always wished I could be as funny as her!!

see--I'm trying to be funny! hah.

Wedding:

-I was her Maid Of Honor for her wedding!

BFF

-We trained for a marathon in 2 different states, and did long runs twice together during vacation.

-We ran the St George Marathon together in 2009---BEST event ever. We crossed the finish line together holding hands and yelling. It was a fabulous experience--prob one of my favorite memories!

26.2 miles--don't mind if we do.

-Vegas 2009....right after a marathon. It was crazy cool.

we look tired b/c we'd been on our feet all morning. No joke.

-Oh and I visited her in Alaska for 1 week. That was insanely awesome.

Alaska 09' --they let me tag along while I was VERY single.

-Caroline met my future husband before any other family (before he had asked me out on a first date), and told me she had a great vibe about him, and totally thought he was great <---this influenced my decision to accept his date request the following week! She was integral to our eventual marriage :)

Work:

-We both live(d) in StL at differing times, so we understand how living at home feels post graduation--great but also a tad bit odd! And SO very grateful for awesome parents. 

-We both got jobs in health fields --her as an R.N nurse in Iowa, and me as a personal health coach for an insurance company and fitness instructor for various gyms

-We did a photo shoot together for my other sister (who is a photographer) in 09'

-I got her hooked on Drop Dead Diva and she is totally obsessed---so we could talk about each episode together. Score!

-Whenever we're in the same place now, we go to the gym together, drink our spinach smoothies together, and eat cookies (her : cookie dough) together. Serious fun. 

She was in my wedding too --2010.

To sum it up: Our relationship has seen the ups and downs. We've cried together, laughed hysterically together, baked together, fought together, run together, and even been by each other's side during special moments such as marriage together. 

I love you, Caroline! Thanks for being an incredible sister, best friend, confidant, gossip listener, running advicer (?), and support. 

Have a MAGICAL Birthday. You only deserve the best.