Letter to my Sister before I move out

 letter to my sister as I prepare to move away from my best friend.

The past 15 years I have watched you grow up from my real-life baby doll to my beautiful, clever, smart, funny, remarkable younger sister. You have maturity far beyond your years. Your (at times hard to find past all the sarcasm) inner-beauty truly reflects the beautiful person you are on the outside. You have so much poise and strength all wrapped up into such a young lady.

Gone are the days of fighting over what shoes to wear. Thank goodness we decided who gets what shoes without one of us dying. yay! Gone are the days where you force me to sit with you while you "study" (although I'm sure it'll still happen over FaceTime). Gone are the days where you climb in my bed when you're scared after watching a horror movie, and gone are the days when I climb in bed with you when I've had an awful night or bad dream. Looking back at all the times we have truly driven one another up the wall and to all the times I swore you hated me, I would not trade any of it because now I see how strong our relationship is because of it. You're probably the only person who I can be SO, EXTREMELY mad at but then we just look at each other and laugh and go back to normal. I also take pride in being one of only a few people that you don't stay mad at for huge amounts of time (after all who would you talk to about the other people you're mad at?).

Even though you're smaller and younger than me, I truly look up to you-- especially in your spiritual life. Your love for Jesus encourages me to go to church even on the days where I'm beat from the week and just want to sleep. You remind me daily to say my prayers before meals without saying a word, just by bowing your head and saying yours. The grace of the Lord is present in everything you do.

I know sometimes you get compared to me and you hate it, but just know whenever I get compared to you it is one of my biggest compliments. You have the knowledge to do well on tests and the knowledge to do well in life. You are smart enough to see the bigger picture of things (where most of the time I get caught up in all of the small things).

You are not scared to be original and you no longer worry about what other people think. You just always do you.

You are my butthead, my spoiled brat, my procrastinator, and my "hate you" stare giver. You are my rock. You are my hero. You are my best friend. Not many people see the warmth, compassion, sensitivity, and love you are filled with because of the hard exterior you sometimes put up, but you are truly one of the most loyal, giving, fearless people I've met. You encourage me daily to be a better me and I honestly do not know where I would be without you.

You are pure Kara, and you are good. Your grace and kindness has the power to radiate and fill people up.

I am so glad God chose me to be your big sister.



                                                                 I love you always,

                                                                                  Kaci