Lisa is 40!

My sister AND best friend, Lisa, turned 40 on May 24!  Judah and I flew there on the evening of the 23rd and stayed until the 27th to celebrate.

In honor of my sisters 40th and just in honor of her period, I want to talk about what a truly remarkable person she is and has always been.

Lisa is a very emotional person.  She truly wears her heart on her sleeve.  It's something I greatly admire.  She truly feels what the other person is feeling.  Her emotions allow her to be sensitive, compassionate, caring and kind hearted.  Those descriptions can't often be used to describe one person, but that is Lisa. 

Obviously, when we were kids we would fight, like all siblings do.  BUT, when times were down, she was always there for me.  Our house didn't always feel safe growing up.  Even in high school, when I was scared, I would crawl in bed with my sister.  She never complained, she was just there for me.  When things got ugly in our house Lisa would stand up to our "father".  If she was scared, you would never know it.  I admire her for her strength and I'm so thankful and grateful to her for being my rock, then and still now.

An amazing mother - and  I don't say that lightly.  Lisa loves her two girls with every inch of her being and you know this by seeing her with them.  She is affectionate.  She is giving to them but also teaches THEM to give.  She is hard on them in all the right ways.  She protects them but at the same time is teaching them their independence.  She empowers those girls and they are SO lucky to have her as their mom.  She is also a second mom to my kids - all that I said above is also true with her nieces and nephews.  If Tey is being a pain in my ass, Lisa will tell him and she will demand respect.  If Tey is hurting she will talk to him, hug him, she is there for him.  Same goes for my 3 littles at home - there is not a day that goes by that we don't facetime to see each other BUT also so she can see Kiera, Eliana and Judah (and Tey if he is not at basketball or one of his other 15 year old "events").  She is there for them.  She was also there for Jace in his 23 days here on Earth.  She came when the twins were born early.  She visited them in the NICU.  We facetimed from the NICU.  She flew up several times to see them.  She flew up when Jace passed away.  She helped me bathe Jace for the last time.  She helped me get him dressed.  She held him and loved on him.  She said her final goodbye to him at the funeral home with Tey and me.  She held Tey in those moments as he broke down.  She held me.  And she let herself break down too.

Lisa knows when I'm hurting.  We can sit on the phone or in person in complete silence.  She knows me.  Like, truly, knows me.  And she loves me for me.  She doesn't try to change me.  We are so much alike and so different at the same time - but again, she loves me for me.

There is so much more.  I can't find all of the words because there aren't enough. 

Lisa is my hero.  I admire her most in life.  She is the person who would give you the shirt off her back if you needed it.  She is the person who will cry with you, laugh with you, give you strength when you have none left.  She is truly remarkable.

Happy 40th Lisa; my sister; my best friend; my soul sister; my rock. 

I carry your heart, I carry it in my heart...