One Of The Best Parts Of Utah.....

Auntie celebrated a birthday while we were in Utah.....

(This post is a little belated....)

The birthday party "theme" was a Mexican Fiesta....hehe....

We met at The Brick Oven....it is one of our favorites....took our own centerpieces....

made her wear a party hat and chile necklaces....and we ate until we were all sick!

Oh, and I am pretty sure we bothered everyone around us with our singing.....

Auntie was one of the best parts of our summer life in Utah.

She moved to Utah with us and after a few days found her own apartment and started her

life as a BYU student. It was fun for us to be a part of this new adventure in her life.

I turned 21 years old two months after Auntie was born.

In fact, she was born while I was on a trip with The Farmer,

to this place I now call home. Between us are six brothers. She was a miracle;)

The Sunday she was blessed....a lovely lady at church.....well meaning I am sure....

came up to me and announced that Auntie should not have been born to our Mother...but that she should have been my daughter, after all I was old enough to be her mother.

Shortly thereafter, I decided to serve a mission for our church.

(not because of the well meaning lady, by the way.....)

When I left for my mission she was 4 months old.

When I came home she was nearly 2 years old.

And then a few months later I married The Farmer.

We never really lived in the same house at the same time, and didn't really get to know each other as sisters until later in life. She came to Mexico to live with us, a couple of years ago... and she became a part of our family in a very special way. The Darlings love her as a sister.....

I love how she "fights" with them like a sister.....

How she wrestles with them....like a sister....

How she loves them...like a sister.....

How she encourages them...like a sister....

I love how they confide in her and trust her....like a sister.

She is about three years older than our Gracie would be...

and I see her filling an an empty space that Gracie would have held. Preshie has said many

times through the years that she has missed her big sister and that she needed her.

Auntie has filled that need for her. Auntie fixes her hair...they tan togther....they share clothes...

Auntie offers fashion advice...and more importantly....boy advice.

The Boy has needed a sisters hand to steady him at times....and Auntie has done that for him.

He listens to her when he will not listen to anyone else.

The Rooster just loves, loves, loves her.

And she just loves, loves, loves him back.

The hardest part of leaving Utah was leaving her behind.

We cried alot.

The Darlings cried alot.

The Farmer thought we were all nuts....but he felt pretty sad to leave her too.

She is beautiful....

She is talented....

She is smart......

She is giving.....

And she is strong!

(And she brought me Sonic drinks without me asking....now that is a sister!)

I love you Auntie, and am so very proud of you and all that you have accomplished!

Thanks for melting right into our family and becoming one of us!

Thanks for letting us share a part of your life,

and thanks for bringing some great entertainment to the condo....

(you have dated some fun guys! good thing we had the strobe light!)

I love the relationship that we have developed and sisters and friends.

And, thanks for sharing my sense of humor, even when we were the only ones laughing!

I love you Auntie/Sister/Friend!!!