My Very Best Birthday

Today is my 30th birthday. Thirty birthdays have come and gone. I have had many wonderful birthdays but the picture above is one of me taken on my best birthday ever. I was three, and contrary to what you may think it wasn't because of my awesome rainbow bright cake, the pile of presents to my right, or the new doll I was holding. Rather, it was because of a different gift I was given on this particular birthday. One that came straight from my Heavenly Father at my request...

You see on my third birthday, October 16th, 1984, my sister Meghan was born. We are exactly three years apart. However, that isn't the most amazing part of the story. The most amazing part is that prior to her birth, I spent months praying that the baby in my mommy's tummy would be a girl, and that she would be born on my birthday...

Can you imagine my parents trying to brace me for disappointment by patiently explaining to me that God doesn't always answer our prayers with a yes... And can you imagine their surprise and our delight when HE DID? Meghan was the most amazing gift I have ever received on any birthday before or since.

From that day on, I shared every birthday with my little sister...and I loved it. Sometimes people think that would be hard...but we both loved it. We celebrated each other. And I loved having her. You see on that birthday that I "got" Meg I got so much more that just a little sister...

I got someone to smile with...

...And someone to love.

I got a partner in crime.

 Someone to strike a pose with...

I got someone to be ridiculously silly with!

...Someone to imagine with. (And did we ever!)

Someone who could empathize with bad haircuts and big bangs...

I got someone to celebrate with! (Who doesn't love a bigger party?)

...Someone to wear the awful Christmas outfits with!

Someone to hug...

I got a beach buddy for every vacation...

...and a playmate for every trip to the park.

Last night I was spending the night in North Carolina with my sister. We laid in bed and talked late into the night about where life is taking us right now. When we realized it was well past midnight we told each other happy birthday. At that moment there was nowhere we would rather be than with each other. A lot has changed for us in twenty-seven years but one thing hasn't changed...we have each other. You see when I got Meghan, I got more than a little sister...I got a best friend.

Happy Birthday to my best birthday present ever... Love you, Meg!