Dear sister,

You know who you are and you know how much I love you. Here's a little "thank you" and a big "congratulations" on your biggest day yet.

Thank you for being the first one. Ya know, the first kid to push our parents to the limit and to see what you could get away with. Watching you grow up ahead of me, allowed me to see how they reacted to what you did, some things were really good while others were plain out bad. I always thought the bad things were funny only because you got in trouble. I'm truly thankful that you were the first, because not only did you set out the goals and standards for me, but you also gave me someone to look up to.

You may not think of yourself as a role model to me, but you really are. Even though we are the complete opposite, we are still alike in many ways. I know what pisses you off and what makes you happy. I know how to make you laugh even when you want to punch me. I know you love me even when I've never heard you say it. I mean come on, who else would go around their high school telling everyone their sister is 12 years old if they truly didn't love them. That's not really what a role model does, but what I'm about to say next will explain just that.

You're a role model because you're one of us. You're my sister, the one I've known my whole entire life and has gone through everything together. Ever since I was little, I just wanted to be like you, but you've changed that for me. You've changed that in a way that speaks "be your own person." Your personality is absolutely amazing because you're you. You don't try to be anyone else or to fit anyone else's standards, and I can't tell you how much I appreciate that. I appreciate it because I've always tried to do that. I've always tried to reach perfect standards to make our parent's happy, but you've taught me that it's okay to go out and do your own thing.

So thank you for being the first and for teaching me even when you didn't know it. Thank you for being there for me throughout my first two years of college when I was about to have a breakdown in class and I didn't know who to turn too. I'll never forget the words of advice you have given me and the times that we have needed each other the most.

Also, congratulations. Congratulations for being the first one in our family to graduate from a four year university. That is a huge accomplishment and I am so very proud of you.

Now, as you step into your next adventure working at Disney, (yes, that's right y'all, my sister is going to work at the Disney World), I hope and pray that you will remember where you came from. I'm so excited for you and now I'm the one who's jealous.

I love you so much sissy, thanks for bein' the bomb.com.

Love,

Your annoying, little "12 year old" sister.