18 Candles

Hunter Ryan:

When I look upon your fair skin and freckled face, I see a reflection of the beautiful woman that brought you into this world. And although you never got the opportunity to know her, know that you carry so much of her with you. Know that you are and always have been the rock beneath our feet when our world was crashing down.

Know that pieces of your mother lie within the hearts of the incredible women that have played a role in your life. I hope that you genuinely feel their love and accept their guidance.

You may not notice it now, (or just simply don’t want to accept it yet) but in you, I see our father. A superhero in slacks, a faithful and loving man, giving and full of knowledge. I hope that you continue to look up to and learn from him, as I do, every step of the way.

You are my light, as bright as the hair on your head, and I am grateful for the simple being that you are in a world that can be so dark.

Your heart so full of love and your head so full of wonder, I hope you never stop looking for adventure and never stop noticing the little things in this beautiful life that you’ve been given.

I hope that you learn from my mistakes, but I also hope that you make your own. Yes, you are strong. Yes, you are held to a high standard. But yes, you are also human. You are a teenager and you deserve to face this world and experience it on your own terms. You will do amazing things but you will also mess up, and that is OKAY! There are lessons to be learned and consequences to be faced. And through each experience, I hope you walk away a little bit stronger and a little bit smarter.

I hope that you continue to be courageous at an age that can so easily be used as an excuse to lose sight of who you are and who you live for. Never underestimate the power that you hold or the influence that you can make in this world.

I hope that you continue to run. Run up and down the streets, through different neighborhoods and cities, and most importantly, run hard and persistently towards the biggest of dreams. You are the maker of your destiny and you are going to do extraordinary things.

So, as you grow one year older and gain another 365 days of memories, I hope you go fourth knowing just how proud I and so many others are of you. I hope that in me, you can see the mark that you’ve left on my heart and the sparkle that you’ve left in my eyes. You are everything to me and I hope that I am and always will be your cool sister, your advice giver and your safe place whenever you need one.

Happy Birthday, Boogie.

xx, Paige