How old are you now?

Today is my sister Ashley’s birthday. She’s fourteen.

FOURTEEN.

I still remember the day my parents sat Kelsey and me down to say, “How would you like a little sister or brother?”

I remember the day when I was being picked up early from school, and my teacher Ms. Owens said, “Maybe today’s the day! Do you think the baby’s here?”

She wasn’t. She came a few days later.

Ashley’s entering her second year as a teenager, and I still can’t grasp that fact that she is one! Sometimes she says something, and I do a double-take because it sounds so grown-up. I still think of her as a baby.

At fourteen, you…

…are obsessed with Lost and give me a hard time for not watching it.

…love to save money, but are also generous enough to treat your whole family to a night out at a baseball game. (Thanks again for that, by the way.)

…are wearing your typical messy hair.

…are super excited to be gaining a brother-in-law soon. This makes me so, so happy.

…still love the Disney Channel, even though sometimes you claim it’s not cool.

…will start high school next year. This is weird for me.

…are very, very loved.

Happy birthday, Ash! 🙂

Ashley and me in Alaska (July 2007)