The Scenic Route: 15 Years

Last week, we had a little party to celebrate my sister's 15th birthday! In case you haven't noticed...I love getting together with people. If it involves setting the table, fixing food, and putting up some kind of decoration, that's even better.

A few years ago, I bookmarked a recipe for Chocolate Peanut Butter Torte. I sent my sister a picture of said dessert and she was all in favor of it being her birthday "cake". 

Having never made it before I was VERY nervous about how it would turn out. It involved using a spring form pan. I've never used one of those either. Thankfully, it turned out just fine and I was not the least bit embarrassed to serve it on that special day!

My sister LOVES pasta...The menu that she picked for the evening was: Baked Alfredo, Caesar Salad, Garlic Bread, "Jay" Juice, and of course the fancy "torte" (I'm still not sure why it's called a torte).

After the dessert was done, I was on to bigger and better things. I headed out to the tulip garden and cut every single last tulip that was worth looking at. I'm not really into flowers in the house, but I knew that my sister would love it.

I have to say, I'm thinking it was a good move. The tulips are looking a little sad by now, but they are probably looking better than they would have if they were still outside.

There was also some last minute gift wrapping going on. One of her gifts was too large to wrap...It got turned into a "scavenger hunt" without a single clue beyond "you have one more gift and it's somewhere in the house."

She found it.

Every year, these two sit together while the other opens their gifts. I love watching them get excited together about whatever gifts were received. This year was no different.

This is where I should say something sweet and sentimental....I'm getting there.

At 15, my sister is very excited to be starting DRIVER'S ED soon! She's done so much in the years God has given her. With a compassionate heart and a spirit of joy, I trust that God is going to make something pretty special out of her!

These next few years are the "big ones". She'll have major decisions to make. I'm excited to be around to watch how she uses these years and what comes of them.

My prayer is that she would grow so close to God that her identity is TOTALLY in Him. I hope that her dreams revolve around truly knowing Him and helping others do the same.

Wherever she goes...Whatever she does...I want her to be a woman of God who is devoted to His truth. A woman whose presence brings the light that God places in the faces of His people.

We've had a lot of good times...I look forward to the good times the years ahead will bring. Times are changing, but for once, I'm kind of okay with the change!

To my sister:  Hope you had as much fun on your special day as the rest of us did!!!  I'm glad we're sisters. :)