IS THIS THE LITTLE GIRL I CARRIED?

My sister has just become a member of the great St. Francis of Assisi alumni group. I can't believe Tin just graduated from elementary school! I CAN'T I CAN'T I CAN'T!! It really seems like 5 minutes ago when we were in the hospital the day she was born in 1990, waiting for the nurse to wheel her out to the window of the nursery so I could see her. HAIR! That's all i saw! She was 19 1/2 inches in length and weighed 7 lbs and 13 oz when she was born and I'm almost sure that 1 lb of that was just her hair.

Anyhow, that was almost 14 years ago. My baby sister is a baby no longer and I'm so proud of the young lady she's become. You should've seen her and her classmates yesterday. Young adults with that tiny ounce of teenage angst mixed in. All the girls looked so beautiful and all the boys looked so handsome. It was hard to picture they were ever 5 years old, performing Frosty the Snowman for the Christmas program when they were in kindergarten. Oh when she went to get her diploma I wanted to jump up and down for her. And then when she got called for Third Honors, I wanted to scream out even more.

After the ceremony, Iya, Riann and I followed my sister to the classroom to help get her things together and to help her pass out the leis we made for her classmates. That morning was filled with so much energy and joy that I know none of these new graduates wanted it to end. I can still remember feeling that way 12 years ago when I graduated from St. Francis, and I know all of you will agree. There are all these emotions flying through your body because you're happy you're finally done with elementary school, you're sad because you'll miss your friends, you're excited about starting high school, and you're scared because you don't know what this new life will be like. I could see all of that in each of my sister's and friends' eyes. But oh how much bigger their world will become!

Later that day we had a small party for my sister. Mom and Dad outdid themselves, again, with all the food and preparations. We had some magic mic entertainment from Riann & Joe (of course, who else?) and had my nephew Kelsoe amusing us all day. It's a day I know Tin won't soon forget. A new milestone has been set...on to the next one...

I'm so excited for my sister! She's such a good kid and seeing her experience yet another accomplishment in her life overflows my insides with pride. I know people think I punk her a lot (actually not as much as Riann, but that's another story), but it's just sisterly banter, I promise. What are sisters for? She does the same thing to me. I think the 12-year age difference is a major factor. I'm like a 3rd parent to her.

Anyhow, I know that the next few years will be much different. She starts Providence High School in September and I'm just waiting for that day that she and I have it out because she missed curfew, or ran the cell phone bill, or used me as a taxi. My parents and I anticipate a wild ride to 2008. Holy crap! Next you know, she'll be graduating from high school!...And I'll be 30!.......But wait! She's NOT graduating from high school yet and I am certainly NOT 30 yet either...one at a time please.
See pictures from this weekend on the side...