birthdays.

I love birthdays. In fact, I like to allow myself an entire birthday month. And I think everyone should do the same. :o)

Today is a very special birthday for several people that I am blessed enough to call friends, but two of them in particular are two of the most special people in my life. I'd like to brag on them for a few minutes, if you don't mind. I promise you'll enjoy reading about such incredible, God-fearing ladies.

First up: my baby sister.

Melanie Elizabeth Henderson.

There aren't many people you can act like this around without even the thought of judging you comes to mind. :)

Twenty years ago today, I was given the opportunity to be a big sister to the chunkiest baby our family had ever seen. Little did I know that that teeny little thing I met on August 22, 1991 would grow up to be my very best friend, one of the very, very few people that make me question how I could ever survive in this world without. She was my first husband (yes, I said husband), my confidant, my heartbeat when mine forgot how to beat for itself, my partner in crime, my fellow interpretive dancer, my connected-at-the-hip-at-all-times baby sister, and so much more. She loves Jesus more than anyone else I know, and she puts every ounce of trust that she has in Him and Him alone. I admire her for so many things, but her determination and innocence are my favorite. No one works harder than this gal, and no one else has a heart so full of love, even when she isn't exactly sure how to show how much she cares. I don't know why the Lord chose me to be the one to do life with the best sister he ever created, but I sure am thankful he did. 

Happy birthday, Mellywhack.

Until the day comes when you meet and marry the man of your dreams, I can promise you that no one on this planet will/could ever love you more than your big sister does. I'm proud of the woman of God you have become and are continuing to become every single day. And even if you never did anything in your life to make your self proud (which is HIGHLY unlikey), I'd still be proud to call you my baby sister.

Next up: my best friend not bestie.

Whitney Anne Barnett.

This was from the first summer we ever spent as best friends. I don't think there was a single night that we didn't stay together. I wish all my summers could be like that.

Whitney and I had pre-calculus class together our junior year of high school. It was one of those things where we met and instantly fell in for each other. Love at first sight; not in a romantic way, of course, but more in a "I've waited all my life to find someone who is the same as me and I'm pretty sure that we're going to be best friends forever" sort of way. Since then, we've added six years under our belt. The best kinds of friends are the ones that you don't have to talk to every day, because no matter how much time passes or how much you change as an individual in the process, nothing between you two ever changes. That's how we are, anyway. We talk several times a week, or at least we try to, but even when we don't talk, we always just pick right back up from where we left off. Whitney is one of the few people in my life that I can really and truly categorize as a lifelong friend, and I can't imagine me ever not having her as my best friend.

Happy birthday, Whitney Anne!

I couldn't have hand-picked a better friend for me to share my tears, laughter, inside jokes, and heart with these last six years, and I am so excited for all the things we'll do together over the next fifty. It's your golden year, and I know that it will be your best one yet. If I loved you anymore, my heart would explode into a million pieces!

"It takes a long time to grow an old friend."

-John Leonard