Happy Birthday Ash!!

Ash. It seems like just yesterday we were wearing matching velvet overalls, dancing wildly to the Spice Girls. And here we are now, adults, who still dance wildly to Spice Girls but luckily have developed our own sense of style. I can’t wait to be home, dancing our pants off to 90s songs. Just 5 more months until I can buy you a drink and celebrate with you! Here are 23 wishes I have for you, as you celebrate your 23rd birthday. I miss you so much! Have so much fun celebrating! xoxo

1. The ability to fall in love with yourself first.

2. Many nights spent laughing with friends, so hard that it huts and you can barely catch your breath.

3. A few true friends who will never abandon you or try to change you.

4. Patience to undergo life's setbacks.

5. Determination to turn those setbacks into further motivation to follow your dreams.

6. Long car rides and plane trips to wondrous places that will open your eyes to the fascinating and incredible world we live in!

7. People to hold you when I am not there!

8. The chance to help others, and truly touch the lives of the people in this world who need it most.

9. The chance to branch out and learn from people who are so completely different from you. They will teach you things about yourself that you could have never learned from spending time with people just like you.

10. Concerts and events that bring music into your chest and rattle your senses.

11. Kisses that make your heart stop.

12. Sunsets and sun rises that make you stop and realize how gorgeous the world we live in actually is.

13. A career worth falling in love with.

14. The ability to see how powerful you are.

15. The understanding that you will always have family to fall back on when life seems to get out of control.

16. A place or city that you can be completely enthralled with, where you can spend many of you days living in that magic.

17. A multitude of girls' nights spent out on the town turning heads -- or curled up in pajamas watching movies.

18. Thousands of morning walks with Charlie, breathing in the crisp air and being thankful for having rescued such a special dog.

19. People you can call when you are feeling lost (other than me, of course).

20. Immeasurable moments of pride that you can have in yourself and in your accomplishments.

21. The faith needed to be able to sustain our religious beliefs and that it may give you a sense of purpose and love.

22. A man I can raise my glass to at that reception and give my baby sister away to, knowing that he will be a devoted husband and best friend to the most important thing I have in my life.

23. My lasting love. May you always understand that I will be here forever.  I will be there through life’s rough trying days. I will be there when the world feels like it is crashing down upon you. I will be there celebrating with you when you think that life can not get much better ! I will be there to plan a ridiculous bachelorette party where we are way too loud and think tequila is a good choice. I will be there to toast to your marriage. I will be there sobbing as I hold my little niece or nephew with more love than I can even comprehend. I will be there when our kids are growing and we have to call each other and laugh at the ridiculous things they do. I will be there through job changes. I will be there as we grow old and start to develop smile lines from our years of laughter. I will be there when we have no one in our family left but the two of us. I held you, or tried to hold you, in my arms as a baby, and I will hold you forever.

That is my final wish, and promise, for you, my remarkable sister. You inspire and never cease to amaze me. I am so proud of everything you have accomplished and the woman you are becoming. I love you!