Hey S,

I guess I can't say that I fell in love with you. I literally loved you from the second that I knew you were going to come into my life.

I vividly remember building a fort in the waiting room of the hospital with Papa, like a teeny little three-year-old and understanding that my whole life was about to shift and get so, so much better.

It did.

I thought that you were the absolute most perfect little thing that I had ever laid my eyes on. A real-life baby doll that I could play with whenever I wanted.

I remember sitting in the living room of the old house and playing with you and mom and I would whisper all of my secrets to you.

You are a soulmate, a teammate, a best friend. Someone who has had the exact same upbringing as me and who understands literally everything I have been through.

You are the only person who I could watch play basketball every minute of every day.

You are someone who has my back through the good and the bad. Who will text boys who break my heart and tell them that they missed out on something special.

You know me better than my friends know me. Better than dad knows me.

You are pure, and gentle, and kind, and compassionate, and strong as hell.

You make me want to be a better person each and every day, and I am the luckiest girl in the world to get to be your sister.

I can't wait to continue to watch you grow and conquer. I can't wait to watch you follow your dreams.

I can't wait until the day that our kids grow up to have the same relationship with each other that we had with our cousins.

I wish that you would have had the opportunity to be an older brother so that you could love them like I love you.

You are my role model, my hero, and someone who I aspire to be like each and every day.

Thank you so much.

Love,

R