Ember and ALT are engaged!

My cousin, my little sister is engaged. And I am tearing up with joy as I write this. As I think about all our years together, words can not express all I feel about this girl and Josh, the love of her life. My mind is going over all the years that she looked up to me and came to me when she needed advice. I remember one time at Oakridge, one of our teachers told me that Ember was looking for me. The school was so close-knit that I was actually able to pull her out of her class so she could talk to me. There were 2 boys who wanted to ask her out and she didn't know who to say yes to. I can still see her face as we talked it over and she picked the boy who became her first (I think) boyfriend.

We got older and we continued to be super close. She is the type of person that you don't need to hold back with. She speaks her mind and expects NOTHING less from you. We cheered together... roomed together at camp and eventually lived together. AND I LOVED IT ALL!

We have MANY songs.. but the one that we consider our song is called "Friend to me" by Garth Brooks... its perfect... "You can be so stubborn. There's times I think you just like to fight... and I hope and pray I live to see the day when you say I might be right... and there are times I'd rather kill you, than listen to your honesty... but you've always been a friend to me. You've always been... time and again... the one to take my hand and show to me that it's okay to be just the way I am... with no apologies.... Yes, you've always been a friend to me."

I can't believe she's old enough to get married. Sometimes when I look at her, I see the little girl who used to sit on skateboards and ride them down her parents driveway with me and her brothers. We actually played Cowboys and Indians. I see the little girl dressed in white lace for her tea party. I see us running together from the lake to the condo. Staying up late talking... staying with me in my dorm in college and then later in life at my apartment. Driving down to Austin so she and her friends could go without parental supervision. Watching EVERY movie Josh Hartnett ever starred in when she got sick with Mono.. including BLOW DRY! Driving with her when she only had her permit (me being 2 1/2 years older made that legal!) Taking her to a high school party and immediately leaving because I didn't want her around alcohol anymore than she wanted to be around it. Watching her cheer in the SAC at Oakridge and run the pep rallies... taking pictures of her and her date for Proms, Homecoming, and school dances... Graduation (I cried at both her high school and college ones) helping her settle into her dorm at Baylor and then spending the night at her dorm at TCU. Watching her stumble with relationships and waiting in the wings for whatever she needed knowing that she would find her way. I had all the faith in the world that he was out there for her. And then... she met Josh.

When Ember met Josh... I knew he was the one for her. She knew it, he knew it... we all knew it. Everyone who knows them together... knows it. They just mesh so well. And he treats her like the princess she is. And the mutual love and respect that they share is out of a fairytale. If there is anyone in the world good enough for my Embo Jo... it's ALT.

We are all so lucky to be adding such a great man to our family.

CONGRATULATIONS EMBER AND JOSH!

I LOVE YOU BOTH.