A Christmas Letter for My Favorite Little Sister

Dear Shelli,

I never thought I would actually say this. In fact, it's actually hard to type it out...
BUT, I think I'm actually going to miss your crazy antics tomorrow morning. I mean, for pete's sake, I'm pretty sure if Nicci and I were still living in the same house with you, you'd wake us up at the butt crack of dawn on Christmas morning until you were way past your thirties.

I'm going to miss hiding my smile in the pillow, pretending to be terribly annoyed with you tugging on me, poking me and jumping on my bed trying to get me to wake up to open stockings.

It'll be weird getting myself up tomorrow, the silence will bring a stark realization that I miss you terribly.

I wish I could emerge from my bedroom wrapped up in "cow" and shout "SNUGGLELY WUGGELY!" and jump next to you on the couch. I wish I could slap your feet away from me when they start to do that really weird wiggley movement that you get from dad. So awkward.



But, I can't do any of that. So, from over here in California I will wish what I can wish...for you to have a very, very, very, very, Merry Christmas.

I know this year is going to mark a lot of change for all of us. Some good things, some bad things, some scary things, but mostly happy things...I'm sure of it.

You're a tough little cookie and you have a heart of gold. I don't want you to be sad or scared in these days to come... because Jesus has a plan that's SO good. You don't have to always be happy, sometimes It's ok to cry or be scared...but TOMORROW is Christmas, and tomorrow I want you to get up with a smile on your face, play "I Want a Hippopotamus For Christmas" during breakfast and pretend I'm sitting at the table rolling my eyes at you and your love of the song.

I know I haven't always been that great of a sister and I'm so sorry for that. I'm sorry at 15 you had to see both of your sisters move out of the house and other scary things happen at home. I know that can sometimes feel very lonely and like we've forgotten about you...but I want you to read the lyrics in this Adele song (listening to it right now, thanks for the CD!) and feel in your heart that these things are true:

However far away I will always love you

However long I stay I will always love you

Whatever words I say I will always love you

I will always love you

Whatever words I say I will always love you

I will always love you

It may seem unfair, but I do love you and so does Mom, Dad, Nicci and Ken too. When we're together we'll make the BEST memories and time will ONLY be sweet. The hugs will be 1000x better than they EVER have been and we'll laugh so hard that we won't have to exercise for the next month. I can't wait for those times....and....well...those thoughts are what make this Christmas happy for me (and should for you). The realization that just because things are different doesn't mean they won't still be good. Just a little different.

Merry Christmas Shelli Belly Bear. :)
I'm sorry I dropped you on your head, but I'm not sorry about the Bananas...I mean that story is just plain hilarious.


I love you, I do miss you.

You are more beautiful than you could even imagine and I so wish I could tell you that in person.


♥
Stinky Feet Christi