Dear "little" brother,

Hey, little bro. How's it going? Just wanted to say hi and I miss you more than you can believe. When mom and dad brought you home (almost) seventeen years ago, I was so excited to be a big sister! I knew that my life was going to change and that I was going to have a lifelong best friend.

We've been through a lot together. From traveling the world to the divorce, to moving all the way to Utah and back, we've been buddies through it all. We've had each others backs for seventeen years and I'm so incredibly lucky that we have each other.

I don't know any other pair of siblings that are as close as we are. We have our weird inside jokes, our shows that we watch, and our car ride jams that we listen to before the sun is up on our way to school. Most sibling's I know fight all the time (we do that too) and don't get along. We're different. We're best friends.

I know that I'm your big sister and that at some/most times I get on your nerves, but; it's my job. I know I pester you and call you every day and that you might think it's annoying but I do it because I love you. And I want you to know that even though I'm off at college, I'm always going to be here and I love you no matter what.

Right now you're a junior in high school. That's a rough year but I know you'll do great and you'll get into a great school. You're looking into some pretty big schools that are far away and honestly, I don't know how I feel about it. What am I suppose to do when we're four hours apart? Or worse, six? I'm so proud of you and how well you're doing in school and I think it's amazing you have the opportunity to go to all these cool universities. I just wish you were thinking about Illinois State too! Are you sure you don't want to be surrounded by corn fields with your big sister?

I knew that leaving for school was going to be hard on mom and dad and that I was going to miss them but I never thought I'd miss you as much as I do. I actually miss you more than the dog, who would've figured?! I didn't think I would get the snapchats from you saying " I miss you. Come home." From mom and dad, ya but never from you. I don't have my partner in crime with me and it's the weirdest feeling.

We've never not been together on each other's birthday. But this year it's different. I'm at school and you have work so we won't get to see each other. It's weird not being together every day like we have been for the past seventeen years. But change is supposed to be good, right? I'm so lucky to have a brother and a built-in best friend. To be honest, I would be completely lost without you. I would have no one to talk to about my life and how mom or dad are getting on my nerves that day.

Thank you for being by my side and supporting me through everything I do. I wouldn't be the person I am today if you weren't apart of my life.

Happy birthday little brother. Love you oh so much.

Love,

Your big sister