My best friends are all scattered around the United States. It's actually really sad for me but great at the same time because I have excuses to travel just to see my wonderful BFF's.
Today I would like to write about my best friend from Arizona. She happens to be my twin sister whom was born 6 years before me and to my mother's sister. That doesn't stop me from calling her SIS!
Lea is pretty much the coolest person you will ever meet. Ever since I was born I've looked up to her. She is so confident and beautiful both on the inside and out. I believe that everyone she meets she has an impact on. She showers people with kindness, make people look (and feel) fabulous, sings to anyone, and is just all around bubbly!
I was going to publish an Ode to Lea today (as my title suggests) but I've decided to write all the reasons (that I can think of on a Wednesday) why I love her so much in the form of an open letter.
Dear Cousin/Friend Lea,
I don't know if you realize how amazing you are. This letter is to help you understand why this world would suck without you and to show you how important you are to me.
Ever since day one I have looked up to you. When I was a wee-little girl my favorite trips were the ones where I got to spend 6 hours in a car just to come down and see you in a school play. I would sit in the audience of that small Glide gym awe struck by the best performance ever. I would leave from Aunties house thinking to myself "when I'm finally in high school I'm going to be JUST LIKE LEA." I was jealous of all the things you knew how to do; tap dancing, singing, piano, drama, the list just goes on!
When you got older you started to come up and visit my family alone on your spring break. I was always so mad that I had to be in school while you were here. How dare they make me go to jail when I could have been hanging on your super cool every word!
When you graduated I got to hear you sing Sarah McLachlan’s famous departing words "Don't let your life pass you by." To this day I can't hear that song and not think of you. Your beautiful voice is etched into my memory (and your bittersweet tears as you sang those words).
When I was in seventh grade you got married to Mr. Perfect. I was so excited to be in your wedding party (it was the first and now only wedding I have even been in where I wasn't a flower girl). I remember the night before your wedding hanging out in Grandpa's old trailer giggling about really stupid things that I don't even remember and being excited to finally be "one of the girls" with you. I always was 'the younger girl cousin.' Isn't it ironic that you felt that same way when my brothers would hang out with Mike? Your wedding day was perfect, nothing out of place. I was yet again rather jealous of how cool you were.
Finally I reached high school and sadly so you were a lot farther away from me than a 6 hour car ride. I figured my super cool cousin was just a long lost thing. Lucky for me you moved to the baseball Mecca of the states and I was OBSESSED. It was a perfect shoe in to put you back on my super cool cousin radar. I loved coming and visiting you even though I still felt like "the younger girl cousin." I didn't care.
At the time I started college we still weren't best friends, just cousins. It's not a bad thing but being your friend is way better than being JUST cousins.
As my second year in college rolled around you already two babies down (two yet to come) and not that much closer to us being BFF. Who would have guessed that something so tragic would have made something so wonderful too? As you called me day after day to hound me it was the start of the greatest friendship ever. From then on I lost my super cool cousin I was always jealous of and gained a super cool cousin best friend that could never be replaced.
We talked for hours on the phone laughing and crying over every little thing that was happening in the world. You helped me through my husband’s mission, my oldest friend dying, my college career, my family life, my dumb girl drama and everything else.
When I had the opportunity to choose my internship anywhere in the US I thought of all the wonderful places I wanted to go. Secretly though I wanted to go to Arizona the whole time. Where else was my best friend? Living in the desert not so paradise was 3 of the best months ever! We watched tons of pointless tv shows, loved on the cutest babies EVER, had so much great girl time and I learned about a million things from you!
You're the best mother I've ever seen (besides my own of course (: ). Your kids are the sweetest pumpkins ever! You treat your husband with such respect as does he to you. I think everyone could learn a lesson or two from you guys. You're not afraid to do things even though you are really scared of them. You still go after your passions in life and love every minute of it! You're the best friend I've always needed. You've never wronged me. You've put me before you countless times. You've put me in my place when I needed a good talking to. You've introduced me to Everclear and Moulin Rouge. You made me try things I wasn't excited to but am now glad you did. You've stood up to my mother when I was afraid to. You made me look beautiful again and again at no charge even on the most important day of my life. Most of all YOU are one of the most Christ-like people I know.
I just hope you always know you're amazing.
And my best friend.
And my role model.
Love always,
Your Sister that was born 6 years after you to a different mother
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