Happy Birthday Keriann!

I never would have guessed that the sister whose finger I bit when she was two (just to see if I could bite hard enough to make her bleed or for it to come off) would be my best friend as an adult? Who would have guessed she would forgive me when I confessed that the traumatic memory we both had of falling down the stairs as children was not merely an accident--but that I'd pushed her down for fear she'd beat me to the top and then rolled down the stairs myself so I wouldn't get in trouble for pushing her? (Ah, the innocence of children.)

My mom likes to attribute our friendship to the nagging (that's what she called it) she did, telling us we would want each other as friends when we were older, so we shouldn't be mean to each other now. Since nagging is a pretty effective way to get anybody to have a change of heart, this is obviously true. Our friendship could also be the result of God giving us such similar interests (vegetarianism, the environment, cooking shows, following the Lord) and neurotic tendencies. Keriann also has an urban, sophisticated sense of style that I envy. I need her to approve my apparel purchases. I have the benefit of the stereotype that older sisters exist partly to share their wisdom with younger sisters. I pray, and try to live up to the standard.

Keriann, I hope you're 20th year is great! I'm sorry for posting your picture, but I think you're beautiful! Please don't die early from the ridiculous amount of butter in your cake.