Feliz Cumpleanos!

Today is my sister-in-law's birthday. Technically, she is my brother-in-law's wife, but I've never considered her that. To me, Emily really is like a sister. She is my Sister Tenner.

I met Emily when she started teaching at Pearce, where I was already teaching. She taught senior English, and I was teaching sophomores and juniors, and by her second year of teaching, we were teaching the same grade level, so we spent our Sunday nights at our dining room table, surrounded by pizza, calendars, literature books, and highlighters. Beginning with those looooooong Sunday nights of planning, Matt and I got to know Emily more and more, as she began to hang out with us more and more.

Over the next year or so, Emily became one of my absolutely best friends, and little did Matt and I realize that she would eventually become our sister-in-law! I have been SO very fortunate. I can honestly say that Emily isn't just like family to me; she actually is family to me. How great is that? I get to share the most important moments of my life with someone who is so special to me. I don't have to call her and tell her how my Thanksgiving was; she's there sharing it with me. When we told the family that we were pregnant with Abby, I didn't have to call her later and tell her the big news. She was there to share in the delight with everyone else. I feel blessed beyond belief. To think that that curly-haired, "shy," goofy gal down the school hall would eventually become my "sister" is beyond words.

Emily and I have both lucked out falling into the Tenner family. Honestly, we could not have asked for better parents-in-law.

So, here's to you, Baxter. You have made my life, along with Jason and the rest of the Tenner clan, more complete. :)

Over the past three years, I have been lucky enough to share in many of Emily's most important moments, and she in mine:

An engagement. (I thought that ring would NEVER come!!)
Bridal showers (I absolutely LOVED being the scribe!)
The bachelorette party. Emily, you really should wear boas more often! :)
The BIG day, October 6, 2007. What a beautiful bride! Abby's birth. Emily was there, newly engaged by the way, waiting and waiting with the rest of the family. Here is her first picture with Abby.
Abby's baptism. One of the most special moments of my entire life.
Football games.
And now their pregnancy! I am so lucky to get to watch Emily grow not only in belly size (ha!) but in her love for their little baby boy!

Five things you may not know about Emily:
1. She can speak Spanish. Sometimes, at a mexican restaurant, she'll order her food in Spanish just to impress us. I'm so jealous.

2. She is a Heck of a domino player. Although she claims to be a Domino Virgin, she kicked our butts so badly that we began to think she was Miss Metroplex Domino 1997. I'm fairly certain people who haven't played dominoes before don't say things like, "Oh, is there 15 on the board? Then tee up the blank." Seriously.

3. She (and myself included) can do a DEAD-ON impression of Tituba from The Crucible and Daisy from The Great Gatsby. I'm not kidding. If you heard her Tituba impression, you would swear there was a large Barbados slave standing before you. Simply Oscar-worthy. :)

4. She has a heart of gold. Emily is one of those people who actually listens to what you have to say. She always asks how you are doing. She would much rather ask about someone else's well-being than talk about herself. Very selfless. That's hard to find nowadays.

5. She is head over heels in love with my brother-in-law. In the 10 years I have known Jason, I have never seen him happier than he is with Emily. He lights up like a Christmas tree when she's around. The two of them can make each other laugh, and their marriage is built on love for one another, laughter, and the love of all things Murder She Wrote. :)

Deep Down, Emily is...

...a rock star at heart...... ..a Guitar Hero freak
...the only person in the world who could have this much fun at Halloween dressing up with Jason as White Trash. :)
...the Queen of Funny Faces.

...and the best aunt for Abby that I could have asked for. Jas, you picked a good one.
Personally, Emily, I think we are both two lucky gals!!
Happy birthday to you, Emily! Here's to many, many more!!! :)