these were taken on my twenty-first birthday and i'm finally getting them up for you to see. i've been just a little behind, i suppose.
my wonderful family took little ol' me out to lunch at one of my all-time favorite restaurants, carlos o'kelly's, after i got off work and before my evening celebrations. my mama bought me my very first strawberry daiquiri, which was mighty delicious might i add. my step mom, lisa, and my mom both had one too, so we were all pretty laughter prone, and my brothers were being absolute hoots as per usual-- as you can see. i seriously cannot be around them without my stomach cramping from non-stop laughter. they are growing up far too fast-- it just makes my heart hurt. in the best kind of way, of course. they are wonderful young men and i am beyond proud of them every single day.
chase is turning sixteen next month which just utterly baffles me. when he was first born, we shared a room, but when he was old enough for a big boy bed, i finally moved into my own room. however, i found myself sneaking out of my room and wandering across the hall to his every night. i'd crawl into his bed and we'd sleep butt to butt, or i'd climb onto the top bunk as quietly as i could so i didn't wake him. there was just comfort in knowing he was there. each morning like clockwork, i'd get in trouble for sneaking out of my room and into his. to this day, when i'm home and we've watched a scary movie, i'll climb into bed with him, butt to butt, and fall fast asleep. i pray that one day when i have children, they'll find comfort in one another like chase and i did and still do.
dylan will be fourteen in just two months and i swear he grows more and more each time i see him. within this last year alone, i have witnessed him transform from a boy into a young man right before my eyes. i swell with pride when i hear him speak. he is so very intelligent-- aspiring to be an engineer or an architect one day. what kind of thirteen year old has dreams like that? none that i know of, anyway. plus, he talks to me about girls and all of that neat stuff!-- i give him advice when he asks for it and just listen to him when he doesn't. i think i've got the "cool big sister" role down pat... at least i'd like to think i do.
it's so nice to know that out of the whole entire world, i get to love these two young men for the rest of my life until forever.
okay, i've got to stop. i'm getting all teary eyed.
i love them so very much. more than words.
