Celebracion de Vida

(There is no reason at all for the title being in Spanish...just seemed fitting)

Today is my sister's birthday. I felt that it was only right that I dedicate a blog post to the greatness that is Melissa Carter. The possibilities of this post getting super sentimental and cheesy are high to super-high, so I'm going to try to keep the mushiness to a minimum. But she really is great...like, I'm sad for you if you don't know her.

So today...I am going to make a Top 20 list of why I am glad that Melissa Carter was born/why the world is a better place with her in it.

20. It would have made for a really lonely childhood for me. (selfish, I know...)

19. She is one of the only people who can harmonize with me to absolutely anything that makes sound (i.e. the hum of our mom's electric toothbrush).

18. She is adventurous.

17. She has an incredible ability to make people feel comfortable around her.

16. She knew the full name of like every friend and classmate I had growing up...actually, that's a little creepy, Melissa. Sister stalker.

15. She has crazy strong conviction.

14. She has an amazing ability with words.
One time, she got on my computer which happened to be logged on to my Facebook profile and changed my "About Me" section to say:
I have a sister, Melissa..and that is really all you need to know about me..because she is easily the most attractive and graceful thing around since Audrey Hepburn - except a little hotter. She has a touch of Angelina Jolie in her, with the angelic innocense of Shirley Temple.
I have yet to take that off my profile.

13. I know I can introduce her to someone she doesn't know and in about 15 minutes, they will be best friends.

12. She has a unique love and passion for the elderly. Their lives are always made happier and fuller because of her.

11. She's a crazy good cook...it's a good thing we don't live together anymore.

10. She is RANDOM...this is good because it means she thinks outside of the box. Seriously, in the past couple of months she has pondered: being an au pair overseas, being a flight attendant, moving home for the summer to cook pies with my grandmother, being a missionary to the Amish, moving to Africa...what am I forgetting here, sis??

9. She is far from being a "too-cool"...I would be sad to have a "too-cool" for a sister.

8. She has the heart of a servant.
(Example: My parents sent us money to go out for a nice dinner for her birthday. When I asked where she wanted to go, what did she want us to do? She wanted to take the money, buy some gifts, and drive around to various houses of people we know and tell them that we love/appreciate them)

7. She has introduced me to many amazing things, including shakey-head pictures, sushi, Shane Claiborne...and some super weird music.

6. She is the only person in the world who understands and shares the freakishly crazy love that I have for Buddy Leroy Carter.

5. She has dance moves like you've never seen.

4. She makes me proud...like I love telling people that she's my sister.

3. She's not afraid to challenge me and hold me accountable...even when it makes me mad :)

2. She makes me laugh harder than anyone...like anyone.

1. She is IN LOVE with Jesus...and is going to change the world because of it.

Happy Birthday, sister! I really am so proud of YOU!