30 Reasons Betsey is the Best Sister Ever!

For Betsey's 30th birthday today, I thought I would give you all a treat. A listing of the 30 reasons why I think Betsey is the best sister ever.

1. Thoughtful. My little sister sent me a Mother's Day card to thank me for being a great Aunt to Nora. Now, who does that? Only a very thoughtful, caring person like Betsey.

2. Stylish. My little sister has a great sense of what is hip. She always has stylish glasses and can put together a pretty sweet ensemble.

3. Unselfish. My little sister always lets other people shine. She genuinely wants the best for other people.

4. Nora. My little sister has a pretty great daughter (and soon-to-be son), this is only because she is so great herself and is raising a fabulous little family.

5. Cheerleader. My little sister will always listens to me drone on about my day, giving me advice and encouragement.

6. NPR. My little sister loves to listen to NPR. I think that makes her pretty great because NPR is rather interesting.

7. Fast Reader. My little sister has always loved books which has made her a lighting-quick reader. Don't try to read over her shoulder, you won't be able to keep up.

8. Faith. My little sister has an unwavering commitment to her faith. She serves unselfishly and I think that's pretty great.

9. Music. My little sister has always had such a great taste in music. If you're looking for something new, ask Betsey. She'll know.

10. Family. My little sister is always coordinating things for the Gimbel Family. She's a good little Gimbel Family advocate, always.

11. Richard. My little sister found someone who loves her very much and supports her in everything. He's also a pretty good guy, which makes Betsey even better.

12. Blog. My little sister is a good blogger and can come up with interesting updates and thoughts. Reading her blog is fun.

13. Learning. My little sister loves the classroom and is working on her second master's degree. She's a smart cookie.

14. Organization. My little sister helped to coordinate her 10 year class reunion and is always helping out at church to organize things. That makes her great.

15. Committed. My little sister will regularly go-the-distance for other people, whether it's driving for hours or sacrificing her time, she's do it for other people.

16. Crying. My little sister has the biggest heart EVER and cries at very touching stories of humanity. I think this makes her super great.

17. Chard. My little sister brought home a boy named Richard and she let me call him Chard The nickname stuck. I love it.

18. Cooking. My little sister is a great little chef. She and the Chard were super helpful at Thanksgiving last year. Chard can dice up brussel sprouts like no one's business.

19. Unique. My little sister once painted the walls of her room four different colors. She has a very unique sense of aesthetics. (This, too, might also demonstrate committed. Painting is the worse job ever and to paint a room takes commitment esp. when there are four colors involved.)

20. Sweets. My little sister loves sweets. And loves to make sweets even more. This makes her fantastic.

21. Boy. My little sister is going to have a son! The first in the Gimbel family. This makes her great and very special.

22. Creative. My little sister made a memorable card to announce baby #2; She is not only creative, but also follows-through on great ideas.

23. Dedicated. My little sister rallied the Gimbel clan to finish several puzzles over the Christmas holiday last year. She's dedicated to fun and activities that bring the family together.

24. Popular. My little sister was on Homecoming court and the Silver Arrow court in high school She is always very popular and everyone wants to be her friend.

25. Tolerant. My little sister doesn't mind that the two times I've had to speak in public for her, I've cried and not been able to get out a coherent thought. Her wedding toast was terrible, but she loves me anyway.

26. Devoted. My little sister served a mission in Ireland for 18 months when she was only 22. This demonstrations her devotion to her church and her self-less attributes.

27. Independent. My little sister is an empathic, caring thinker. She isn't swayed by conservatism that masks itself as the religious choice.

28. Advocate. My little sister isn't afraid to stand-up for what she believes in. She volunteers her time for causes she believes in and isn't afraid to let others know why she's doing it.

29. Respectful. My little sister might disagree with someone but she is always respectful and listens to both sides of the story.

30. Mine. My little sister is my little sister. My only sister. I love you, Betsey and hope you know how grateful I am that you are mine. My little sister.

Happy 30th Birthday.

xo

-M