bravo

Cory's little brother and my little sister are graduating tonight.  We're both enormously proud of them, but I think we're both trying to get used to this crazy idea of our younger siblings growing up.

We've been best friends since you showed up almost nineteen years ago.  When mom told me I was going to have a sibling, I prayed with all my little three-year-old heart that I'd get a sister, and you never once let me forget it.  I don't know if I ever admitted it, but I'm actually glad my prayer was answered with a yes (which I'm sure you knew without me saying a thing).  We've never been quite alike, as you can see here--I'm holding a doll and you're on roller skates--but it didn't and doesn't matter.  We've had our fights and screaming matches like any good sisters do, and we've bickered amiably, too.    

Now you're done with high school and you're going to walk across that stage tonight and get your diploma and in a few months you're going to college.  

All I'm wondering now is when this happened.  When did you turn into a young adult instead of a goofy little girl with big blue eyes and your heart on your sleeve?  When you hated being called little, I used to have to call you my big-little-sister and now you are my big little sister.

Congratulations, Jojo.  I'm so proud of you!