Birthdays!

Two of the people I love the very most have birthdays within days of each other. I've done many posts about Brennan, so I figured he could share this one with my sister, Eliza, who I've never done a post about.

First, since this very day is his 38th birthday, we'll start with Brennan. I love the picture below because it captures what I love very most about Brennan. Here he is having fun (which he can always manage) with our 4 kids. Having a big family wasn't necessarily in Brennan's plans. He's always liked kids and been really good with them, but for as laid back and mellow as he may seem he's truly a guy who likes order and simplicity and lots of downtime. Well, he doesn't get much of any of that, and yet he's embraced the path his wife has chosen for him (I'm mostly joking) and loves his kids and me and has learned to put up with the chaos and the disorder and the lack of downtime.


No one ever has to guess where they stand with Brennan. What you see is what you get and while I'm admittedly sometimes horrified by some of the things he says to people, in the end most people appreciate his realness and candor. I think too that most people instantly feel comfortable around him because of his total lack of pretentiousness and appreciate the freedom they feel to be themselves. He's always ready to laugh at himself and his quirks and lets me post freely about them, which I love. My book club comes ready each month to hear the latest Brennan story. Because he is so lovably open and willing to admit his lack of perfection, people often miss his depth, intelligence and sensitivity. He really is one of the most compassionate, tender-hearted people I've ever met and has naturally wise instincts. He's the whole package: a little crazy, fun, funny, genuine, loyal, game, good, and smart. Happy, happy birthday Brennan dear! I love you!



This is my little sister, Eliza, with her twin-I-mean-daughter, Belle. I have 4 brothers who I love dearly, but by the time my youngest brother was born I was getting sort of unamused by my sisterlessness. Finally a few months before my 12th birthday Eliza was born. She was my real live baby doll. I doted on her. I loved to fix her hair and dress her up and just love her.



I adored my sweet little sister. Then I grew up and got married and moved away. We were always close, but in totally different realms. When we moved back to the same state she was in high school and had really grown up. She doted on my kids and babysat and kept me company during those crazy young mothering days.

Then she grew up and moved away to school, came home, got married and had kids of her own (all within about 10 minutes I might add). Seven weeks after I had Ben she had Abe. Suddenly our 12 year difference was gone and we were both in the same stage of life. Now more often than not I look to her for advice and help and perspective.

Eliza has faced some pretty huge hurdles and in each instance I have been so impressed with her faith and strength in overcoming them. I admire her so much for our differences: she's creative, energetic, persistent, deep, open, sensitive, naturally and deeply spiritual, and totally unaware of her strengths. I love her so much for what we share: a need to extrovert, spontaneity (or what our husbands affectionately call "hopelessly unorganized"), a love of motherhood and family and the Gospel. She is truly one of my greatest blessings and a daily example of goodness in my life.

Happy birthday my dear little Lizey. I love you!