I'm sure it will take me days to actually get to tell you "happy birthday" in person, what with all the phone calls from your fan club. In the meantime, I hope it's a splendiferous one, complete with a birthday cake full of frosting that you can get in your eyebrows.
I have the best memeories of crawling into michelle's bed at night as a kid when I had a bad dream and can you believe that back then, she actually tolerated it? Ah, how I loved chasing her around trying to make her hug me or sitting around for hours sipping vanilla coke at the Saugus Cafe. I loved being next door neighborly neighbors at BYU when we could go running and eat dinner together after. Remember how you would come crash my pad because you couldn't stand your weirdo roommates. (Kelsi, anyone?) And once you got married, I was all excited every time somebody new came to your Branbury pad so I could watch you give the "grand tour" over and over. It was quite the impressive tour. How about when we were driving with teeny baby Jake in the car and he actually stopped crying for one second and we were absolutely stunned? It was O-mazing. But probably my favorite memory was when we got to hang out while we were waiting for little Bella. As long as I live, I'll never forget that.
So here's to Michelle. Our favorite oldest sister. I swear, there is no better person to have on your team than Michelle. She is a die hard ally and I've needed that so many times. I don't know what we'd do without your hilarity or advice about how to pretend you don't hear it when your baby won't stop crying. I could go on and on... but I'll let the rest of the fam have a shot. Fire away, kiddos.
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I got off the phone with you (Michelle) and my roommates asked who I was talking to. I then spent the next half hour explaining some of the top reasons you are my favorite oldest sister ever. Some of those included the fact that you are drama-free, the epitome of non-judgmental, resourceful, and loyal. And on top of this you managed to choose a rad husband and raise rad kids to increase the already overwhelming radness of our family. I miss having you as my YW president, you made girls camp so much more bearable. And I miss hanging out with you when all my friends ditched me for college. I miss having you right around the corner.
I didn't get to call but wanted to say happy birthday. I am a loser and you can stop "BOOING and THROWING THINGS AT ME ANYTIME." She was always an awesome older sister and "a second mom" as a child. She has done a wonderful job raising four good kids and helping keep everyone connected.
First of all, I tried to call, but I got this message saying the voice mail box has not been set up yet, so apparently I am on the "black sheep of the family list" that gets the alternate phone number (the one that somebody makes up so you can't really reach them).
The raisin bran quote is a classic. It was Christmas Eve when we were all sleeping in the bonus room and she belted that out. That was hilarious!
I admire Michelle for so many reasons. She endured the days of Mom and Dad's figurative sojourn in the wilderness with me when we lived in Ontario and then in Mar Vista. She went with me to the crazy Asian lady's house in Mar Vista - the one that bit one of us. (I can't remember who got bit.) Those were good times.
I remember that she was much more creative than me. She could get into and out of mischief so much better than I could. I always got the deer in the headlights look and it was over. She would be like, yeah, and your point is...
Who can forget "Ahoy! Ahoy! The boys are coming. The boys are coming."
I remember fondly playing tennis together at BYU when we needed to vent or whatever.
Half the girls I went on a date with or otherwise liked in my life were her friends - Allison, Caroline, Suzie, etc. She must have bribed them or something.
Michelle rocks and I'm grateful for her friendship and example.
How do you know when you married a keeper? When you ask her if she'd like to go out on a date on a Saturday night, and she asks, "Isn't there a UCLA football game on that night?" Or when you take her out to dinner for her birthday, and she chooses to go to In-N-Out (last night). Yeah, we have some good times.
If I could just get her into the Lakers we would have the perfect marriage ...
I too called and got the voicemail. I guess that is what happens when not so cool people call cool people. They are always talking to someone cooler!
So many Michelle memories. Like not having to walk for the first 2 years of my life because she carried me. Having Nate, I can now fully appreciate the effort that must have taken for a 4 year old to carry General Fats around.
Michelle once pulled a couple of kids off me at Emblem elementary school by their backpacks. I'm not sure why I was getting jumped but I am certain I didn't start it. Anyway, the kids were rather embarassed that they got handled by a girl!
Michelle was always cool to me in High School too. Even though I was a freshman and she was a senior I often enjoyed hanging out at Saugus Cafe, IHOP and other destinations with the student voted "Most likely not to be in class"
We had the good fortune of serving missions at the same time. I always loved getting her letters (which came more frequently than mine went out).
There were plenty of good times as married students in Provo too. Although her and Rick up and left us, we showed them by following them to sunny CA shortly thereafter.
We are still looking for the right time and opportunity to be neighborly neighbors again. Happy Birthday!
happy birthday. Sure miss you here. There is nobody with a better sense of humor. have an extra birthday diet coke for me!!
I know I am a day or so late and several dollars short but Happy birthday Michelle . You have always taken your role as big sister very seriously and the ones mentioned here are only a few of the many times you rescued, counseled, supported and generally just loved your siblings - they couldnt have asked for a better big sister and I couldnt have asked for a better oldest daughter or a more understanding friend.
happy birthday michelle. you are beautiful and talented and i know that you are rolling your eyes right now as you read this. i wish i lived next door to you.
so. i guess i will just eat a can of frosting for you to celebrate. that's just what kind of girl i am. one for the team.:)
(i just won't tell you that i eat one every sunday morning to fortify myself for the "day of rest")
Michelle, I'm super late, but I couldn't not put down something for one of my best friends and favorite people in the world. I really appreciated the birthday tribute you gave me. There is nobody better to call when you need to talk than Michelle. She is great with advice, sympathy, listening, and commiserating with any and all woes.
I've especially appreciated all the marriage advice you've given me. Sometimes you understand Justin much better than I do. I also admire your resourcefulness. You let nothing stand in your way. There isn't a problem you can't solve. And you are a great mother. How you manage to do it all and make it look so easy I'll never know. So I guess I'll just keep calling for advice. I'm so grateful for our friendship, it means a lot to me! Someday I'd love to be able to hang out with you regularly again!
Love Kate
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