I remember being just 8 years old. I was the youngest in our family, and the youngest in my 3rd grade class. I remember that we knew you were going to be born on that Monday and I begged Mom not to make me go to school, but of course she did. When we went to the hospital that evening and I was set down on that little couch and they let me hold you and started taking pictures, I was still certain they were taking pictures of ME. Ha ha. I remember when we brought you home and all I could think was I couldn't wait until YOU were eight years old, cause I'd be 16. ;-)

Countless diapers (from you AND Camryn!), arguments, laughs and cries later, here we are. I am 23, you're a little lady, and neither of us are the youngest anymore.

I am by no means an expert on life. But I've made mistakes I have learned from, and I've had my heart broken. These are my tidbits of advice to you, my beautiful little sister, on your 15th birthday.

I know that when you are 15 life seems so hard sometimes (and Taylor Swift sings about it better than I can explain it!)... But the best thing is this is the time in your life when you have so many dreams, and when you're still young, those dreams are so possible! You can be absolutely anything you want to be, dear. As you get older those dreams will seem frightening. They'll seem to get farther and farther away before they seem attainable. You will question whether all the work and heartache is really worth it. Don't be scared, like I was. Don't look for ways to put off your dreams. Instead, point your life at them and put the pedal to the medal. You are a better person than I am. You are more level headed and less spontaneous.

I can't tell you what the future holds for you. And even if I could, I wouldn't. I am still young myself, I am not pretending to know it all. I just know the qualities that make you Emily Ann Louise are the qualities you should cling to.

I love you, and I wish I could be there for your birthday bash tomorrow. One day I won't have to leave anymore, and I'll be around so much you'll WISH I would go away.

But until then, I'm just a phone call away (or at least an e-mail). Whether it's a breakup, mean girlfriends, a bad hair day, or you're just lonely, I'm always here.