Sisters M.

There's a party going on right now. 

A birthday party. I wish I was there! 

Yesterday was my sister's big b-day, and I MISS her. We are just on the same wavelength, you know?

Ever since these days.

I think we bugged Logan sometimes. But we sure love him. (He loves us too.)

Ali never wanted a dog. Obviously we had different opinions on the subject.

But for most things, we're pretty much on the same page. She has ALWAYS set an example for me. And I'm always trying to follow that.

I know we're not twins or anything, but we have the same vibes. If one of us is ever feeling an unexplainable emotion, it's usually because the other one is feeling it then too. 

I hope I don't throw up when she's pregnant.

I cannot explain to you how much I love my sister. We have the same random aspirations in life, and no one is more fun to check those off with than this girl.

For example, yelling off the Brooklyn Bridge just like (the beautiful) Jack and Spot Collins.

Or going to a Keith Urban concert just because.

Or touching all 50 states (getting there).

She moved out to the East Coast a few years ago because she's just fearless like that. And extremely cool. I love visiting her in Boston SO much. So much. 

Who else would take a night tour of NYC in the rain with me, on the top level of a double-decker? We frequently find ourselves in random situations like that.

We have mastered the art of the self-timer.

And the art of ridiculous nicknames. And inside jokes.

Kookaburra.

(No one laughed but Ali. Don't feel bad.)

She's an (extremely) avid NBA fan. Particularly the Jazz, but...well, it was a rough year for Jazz fans. Celtics are up there too. I owe her all my basketball interest, she keeps me posted.

I also owe her my stick shift abilities. My dad gave me a good foundation, but she taught me how to shift and turn the steering wheel at the same time.

That's kind of essential.

Sometimes people tell us we look like twins. Other times people don't believe we're sisters. ? 

I promise we are.

I love her because she will do illogical things with me. In fact, I think she is the person who taught me to do illogical things. Like, jump in the Atlantic ocean on New Year's Day.

It doesn't make sense to do that.

I loved doing it.

I love how open she is to traveling. I think I learned that from her, as well.

Spanish steps in Rome! 

Venice! If you ever go backpacking, take her. 

But if a bird poops on her again, don't laugh too hard. I mean, you can laugh later, but don't laugh right then.

It makes me sad that we went from sharing a room to living in different states, but we still talk just as much as we did then :)

Church in Rome! Just another area I've always looked up to Ali in -- she has such a strong testimony and dedication to the Church.

Like I said, take her backpacking. Some people just look at the Colosseum.

She has gladiator fights there.

(But it looks like I won.)

Easter Sunday in London! I love that she's always open to have an adventure with me. 

Fourth of July in Boston. I lived with her that whole summer, and I loved it.

We were sisters, roommates, friends, coworkers...pretty much everything. 

That's why I learned so much that summer!

She is one of the few people in my life that understands my love for driving.

She'll frequently take the long way home for me. It is definitely appreciated.

This is our future :) These lovely ladies are sisters, and residents at Hebrew Rehab (where we worked that summer).

She lets me wear her clothes. I miss that shirt.

This is right before she conquered a half-marathon in New Hampshire! I can honestly say she is my true source of inspiration in this area of life, too.

I read Harry Potter for two hours that day. She ran that whole time. 

It blew my mind.

She is always open to a road trip (this may go back to the "willing to do illogical things" principle). 

This was the Hill Cumorah pageant in New York a couple summers ago. We even slept in a car for it.

That's not really as adventurous as we thought it would be. Especially when you set the car alarm off at 6AM the next morning. 

I prefer my cell phone alarm, thank you.

DC and my dad's photography skills. He sometimes chooses to not count, which is never helpful on bright days.

I love that my sister has the same family as I do. That might sound slightly ridiculous, but I really do appreciate that we love and understand the same people in a way that no one else does.

Ali always understands what I need. Like this day, she committed to being my personal photographer for as long as I wanted. She followed me around to find all my friends even though she had just sat through a long and boring ceremony.

I love my sister. Always have, always will.

Happy birthday, Ali!