Happy Birthday Erin!

This lovely lady is my sister, Erin, and today is her birthday.

There are so many remarkable things about Erin that I have been looking forward to bragging about her on this day for a long time.

Erin is a woman of great patience. When she was a teenager, she had to share a bed with me (I was very young). Needless to say, she had to deal with grinding teeth, snoring, and occasional wetting the bed (gross! but really, I was young). But through all this, she was always kind to me and I never remember her complaining about this obvious inconvenience. She loved to spend time playing with me and dressing me up. To this day, she still loves to give me little makeovers when she can and I know that she will never let me get too "far gone" without some kind of fashion intervention. :)

Erin is in the middle of the family, sandwiched between two boys. Perhaps that helped mold her personality into someone who knows how to put herself out there and be heard. She is very confident and doesn't shy away from a challenge. I often think of her as the "glue" in our family. She keeps everyone connected and informed. She plans all the family events. Is there someone like that in every family? I hope so, because I rely on her to keep me thoughtful and involved with my brothers and sisters even though we live so far away.

As fun and lighthearted as Erin is, she also is compassionate and thinks deeply about people and what she can do to make their day brighter. She frequently surprises me with thoughtful gifts and trips to the salon. A week before Andrew and I got married, she surprised us with a day at the spa which she must have known we would desperately need with finals going on and last-minute wedding planning (Erin spent many years in the spa business, so she always knows the best places to go!). No matter what sacrifices she has to make, she is always very generous with everything she has. She makes sure the people around her are well taken care of.

The most amazing thing is that she can be kind and compassionate without being a push-over. I remember when we both took turns babysitting my nieces and nephews for a week. I indulged them with late bedtimes and sugary snacks. I didn't really know how to lay down the law and basically the kids were running the show. When Erin took over, it was like an episode of the Super Nanny. She was still fun and energetic, but the kids were in bed on time and the chores were done. No wonder she always finds herself in management.

I am proud of everything she has accomplished. She has set very lofty goals and I have watched her steadily and consistently work towards them. She inspires me everyday to work harder at making myself a better person in every way. I love you Erin! Happy Birthday!