Blessing number 12

Maci

Lynn

Owen

The first memory I have of anything is leaving church after sacrament meeting on December 18, 1994.

Many of you may not know what significance this day has had in my life. 

It was the day my little sister, and best friend, was born into this world. 

It was the day that I became a big sister to a special little soul.

I remember Daddy having to help me hold her because I wasn't even three yet, but I felt so big at that moment.

Maci and I were inseparable for most of our growing up years.

We used to go out in our backyard every day and walk up and down the hills looking for "Fool's Crystals" and bits of glass to smash with rocks (to make sparkles of course).

We would make soup out of dirt and sticks and rocks and swing in the swing.

We were both terrified of the neighbor dog, Angus, and made elaborate plans to trap him so he would never bother us again.

We played house or barbies almost constantly and loved making necklaces and bracelets out of our huge bead collection just to take them all off the string to make a different pattern.

Pringles ducks!

Our first picture in the second house in Salmon

Playing at Fox Hollow for the first time.

Our relationship as sisters is not perfect. Far from it, actually.

We fight. A lot. 

We scream and holler so much I'm surprised the walls don't fall down.

But I love her.

Way more than a lot.

I swear this was posed, I'm not really that mean!

She has this way of knowing exactly when I need a boost.

There was a day a little while back when I was just having the most horrific day ever.

I don't even remember what was making it bad, I just know I wanted to go home and stay there.

I was digging through my purse looking for something and found a folded up note with EM written on it.

This is what it said:

Emmi,

I love you. I truly love you. I'm so sorry that your volleyball season wasn't what you wanted it to be. I was always right there cheering for you when you went in. You should be proud of yourself for the way you carried yourself this season. I promise I'm your number one fan.

I look up to you for your patience, trust, optimism, and faith. This was just one more trial given to you in this life to give you strength for reasons unknown to us right now. Our sometimes conflicting personalities is another one of those trials, and I promise that I'm determined to work my way through that one. When you go off to college I'll miss you even more than I'll ever show on the outside.

Never give up on your dreams because I follow in your footsteps and you're my hero.

♥ / Maci

After I read that, I dropped everything I was doing and went on a frantic search looking for her. I found her in the gym and about tackled her. I started crying and told her thank you. It was exactly what I needed at that moment. This happens all the time. I don't know how she does it.

She is a gorgeous little girl (yes, little). I think she knows it because she's CONSTANTLY taking pictures of herself. She's much more photogenic than me.

Orange and purple. REPRESENT!

Last night I was really confused about something and no matter who I talked to, it just seemed to get more confusing. I got on Facebook and noticed that Maci had made a recent comment, so I told her to get online. We talked back and forth for a couple of hours and suddenly everything was okay again. She talked me through everything that was jumbled up in my brain and gave me some much needed advice. For that, I am very grateful.

One thing about Maci, she'll tell you exactly how it is. When I was having a hard time with a boy she would look me straight in the face and say, "You can't spend all your time thinking about him. He can't determine the rest of the decisions you make for the rest of your life. Move. ON!" 

And you know what? She was right. No matter how much I hated what she was saying and no matter how wrong I thought she was, she was always always right. 

Graduation day. In 3 short years I will be on the other side of that hug.
I hope these three years go by super slow.
She can't graduate yet.

Maci has a beautiful singing voice, and she was just given one of the leading roles in the school musical, "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown". I'm so excited to go and hear her sing her little heart out!

Oh, and I just realized that she's going to be 16 in one month and 6 days. SIXTEEN!!! Those boys better watch themselves!

I LOVE YOU MACI LYNN!