Growing up with you made life a little easier. You’re my forever friend even though sometimes you don’t see it that way. All my life I’ve done nothing but look up to you with open eyes and a full heart. You are my inspiration, my encouragement, but most importantly my role model in every aspect of life. You showed me right from wrong (even though I often chose wrong). You taught me how to portray myself in a respectful manner and gave me your two sense when I was headed in the wrong direction. You showed me how life was supposed to be lived even though I always questioned your judgement. Yes, we’ve had our ups and downs but no down was ever low enough to make my love and appreciation for you any less.

You were my person even if I wasn’t always yours. I know, being younger, I could be very annoying at times but I don’t regret tagging along with you and your friends because some of those days were the best days of my life. I’m sorry if I ever got a little too protective but it was only because I know how poised you are and how you would never go out of your way to defend yourself, so someone had to! Your pain was my pain and I felt it times 10! I’m sorry for stealing your clothes and make-up but come on, that was inevitable. Who else was I supposed to learn my sense of style from? Oh and thank you for introducing me to the straightener (seriously, THANK YOU). Also, huge thanks for always doing my hair for any special event that came my way. I honestly don’t know how I’d survive without you.

We grew up too fast. I want to go back to the days when all we had to worry about was collecting enough acorns in the yard to feed the squirrels in the winter. I cried when you moved out of our room to your own, I cried when you graduated high school, I cried when you left for college and left me behind. I want to go back to late night talks in the dark, making flashlight bunnies on the wall when mom and dad thought we were sleeping and making up our own 30-second song/dance performance. I want to go back to when the future wasn’t so scary and when mom would dress us up in matching clothes. I want to go back. I hate it when you talk about moving out of the house because I’m not ready to let you go for good. I’m not ready to give up my sister to the world yet. In my eyes, you are amazing. An amazing person inside and out who can do whatever she puts her mind to. Not to mention an amazing athlete on top of everything else. Never in my life have I ever met someone who comes close to the kind of work ethic you have and trust me, no one compares to your intelligence. You are hands down my number one role model and I could never express how much I love you.