Emily Elizabeth

I would like to dedicate this blog post to my sister Emily, who is the light of my life and turns 25 today!

I love Emily for so many reasons:

She's absolutely beautiful! She is so photogenic and has one of the best side profiles I've ever seen! Case and point:

Overlooking the Badlands in South Dakota

Gorgeous

Lake Lemon

She is SO much fun:

Roadtrip

Imitating how we looked going down the ski slopes

Trying on the candy lips at a wedding we went to

Giddy-up

We look alike and even make the same facial expressions:

I think the glasses help

Haha-neither of us knew Theresa was taking our picture

We have experienced a lot of "firsts" together and I really value that :):

First time skiing

First time hiking through the Badlands

First Mini Marathon

She has an adorable cat:

Tinsel Bear

When I ask her to take goofy pictures she always agrees:

I LOVE my sisters!

This one is definitely a framer for our Mama

She has the most wonderful and contagious laugh. When the two of us get started it goes on for awhile. I love to laugh with her:

She was my very first friend :: insert picture here of three year old me squeezing the life out of two year old adorable Emily, as she looks for an escape route ::

She is eternally supportive of everything I do in my life. She is always cheering me on and encouraging me to do what makes me happy!

She has one of the most incredible hearts of anyone I know!

Feliz Cumpleanos Em! I can't believe you're already a quarter of a century. Sorry I'm not there to celebrate with you but I'm definitely thinking about you today. I can't wait to celebrate when I'm home in December. I love you!

"to laugh often and much, to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children, to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends, to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others, to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch...to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded!" - Emerson