Happy Happy Birthday

Today is a special day. And while normally Tuesdays don't hold much appeal for me, this day marks the 14th anniversary of the day my favorite redhead entered the world. Today is my cousin Brooklee's 14th birthday which is one year older than my age when she was born. I am getting so incredibly old. I can't believe she is a freshman in high school. For about her first 7 years of life Brooklee was the only little kid in the family who lived close by so she was spoiled for sure. She was my best excuse to see every kiddie movie I wanted to see without feeling like a big loser. She was one of my biggest fans and came to see me play basketball and softball when I was in high school. Now she is a varsity cheerleader who I can't wait to see flying through the air at football games. So Happy Birthday Brooklee! I hope you have a great day. Here's my birthday top 5 list of Reasons I love Brooklee (in no particular order):

1) She has fabulous red hair (not the fire-orange-kind-of-scare-you-it's-so-bright-red hair but pretty reddish auburn hair)

2) She is so adaptable (Brooklee is comfortable being outside riding the 4 wheeler or walking across a beauty pageant stage in a dress and heels)

3) She still thinks I'm kind of cool and will still talk to me in public (Brooklee will still come up to me and give me a hug and talk at school even when she's with her friends)

4) She is so pleasant to be around (though she is a teenage girl and has her moments, for the most part Brooklee has a great attitude and is always hilarious)

5) She is fulfilling my dream at age 4 of being Mary Lou Retton (Brooklee is a fantastic gymnast who can do amazing things with her little body and while I barely ever learned to do a front roll and cartwheel this girl is fabulous)