Happy Birthday, Chelsi!

I will never forget that warm summer evening when we sprawled out in the back of the truck watching the thunder storms roll in and then kidnapped MeMaw and made her ride along to the end of the street so we could have a better view. As the lightning lit up the sky, you said, "This is better than the Fourth of July!" Later, when the warning sirens started alarming us that a tornado was approaching, we made a fiasco of the situation screaming, "We're gonna die! We're gonna die!" And PawPaw got all flustered with us, as we got on the floor and hunkered down, laughing like we'd lost our minds. I will never forget the alien hunt, our mail order business, the evening we sat in the blue bonnets with Stephanie, the day we played Charlie's Angels with Courtney, or the countless other times when our imaginations and spontaneous spirits have led us to adventure.

It is no wonder why every year when I get to this day, I can't help but get a little emotional because I am so thankful for the wonderful gift of you... And each year I grow more and more thankful. You have enriched and continue to enrich my life in so many ways, and I love you more than words can even attempt to express. Today, I spent a little extra time thanking the Lord for the gift of you and for your amazing parents who did such an awesome job with you and your handsome brothers. I am eager to see what God has in store for year 25, and I am confident that it is going to be full of new adventures and exciting surprises. Enjoy your special day celebrating the precious, valuable, and unique gift of you. Even though you are miles away, I'm going to do a little celebrating myself. Happy birthday, Chelsi Kendrick! You truly are my sunshine; thanks for teaching me to look for the beauty in the storm and find the laughter in the chaos.