Happy Birthday Kitty-Cat Karyn!

Tonight we had my sister and her fiance over for dinner to celebrate her 22nd birthday (March 4th.) I can't believe she is 22! I still think of her as my tiny little sister who thought she was a cat and hid under the kitchen table to spy and swipe at my feet. Now she is a beautiful, determined, ENGAGED woman starting her own family. It makes my heart so happy to see the amazing things she has and will accomplish, but part of me selfishly wants her to stay my baby sister who needs me. My mom used to tell us that once we hit a certain age we would start growing younger, and if we put bricks on our heads we would stay little girls. :) Tonight as I watched my grown up sissy eating her chocolate cake, I felt myself wishing that those funny sayings my mom used to tease us with were true. Now that I have my own family, and my own precious kids, I know exactly how Mom felt as she watched us grow older: painfully happy and proud.

For Karyn's birthday dinner I made her favorites: BBQ ribs and chicken, roasted garlic mashed potatoes with chives, peas, sourdough bread, and Molten Lava Cakes with raspberries. It was so yummy, but even better to watch Karyn's face as she enjoyed it all.

In a couple weeks Karyn is going to come with me to the women's retreat for our church. I am SO excited for a weekend at the beach to worship the Lord with no distractions, to breathe in the fresh salty air, and to spend some great time with my sister. Happy Birthday Karyn Elise! I love you!