When your siblings gain a significant other, you gain something too. You gain a friend, someone to talk to, get to know, spend time with, etc. But, if you’re really lucky, then you’ll be gaining something just a little bit more. For me, it was a sister. Someone I could confide in, bond with, and enjoy being around. She’s someone who makes my brother incredibly happy, and that makes us all happy by itself. I’m so grateful she’s a part of our lives, and this is just my own little ode to her.

To my brother’s girlfriend:

I’ve now known you for about five years. I didn’t really know anything about you and my brother until the day before he asked you to the homecoming dance your sophomore year of high school. I formally met you the day of that homecoming, the day you two officially began dating. I knew the day that I met you that you were someone special, little did I know that day, that I had met someone that is like a best friend and sister to me.

Fast forward almost exactly five years later, and you two are still together. I’ve been able to not only watch you two grow and fall more in love each day, but I’ve also gotten the privilege of getting to know you better and becoming closer with you every day. You’ve helped me grow in so many ways. You’ve shown me the proper way to hit a volleyball, how to make the most awkward faces in the world, how to be a better me. Thank you for it all.

Thank you for constantly reminding me that I’m one of the weirdest people you have ever met. It really is an honor to have that title. Thank you for always watching out for me and giving me advice when I need it. Thank you for going on vacation with us, and riding rides at six flags with me. Thank you for the million insiders (you better cool it, gator).

Thank you for making my brother happy. I always thank God for bringing you into his life, because you’ve made him happier than I’ve ever seen him in his life. I can see the changes you’ve made in each other’s lives and it’s truly an amazing thing. I hope that you two will be together forever, because quite frankly I couldn’t see it any other way.

Thank you for being like the big sister a girl could ask for. Thank you for being so helpful to me here in college, and helping me get involved with things, not everyone can say they go to the same college as their ‘sister’. Thank you for always sticking by me and always being someone I could count on, I really don’t know what I would do without you. Thank you for literally everything, because I really don’t know what I would do if you weren’t in my life. I can’t wait to hopefully be sisters in law one day.

Love, the little sister of your boyfriend