The bride to be

I knew when my brother would find "the one" she would have to be someone just perfect. He wears his heart on his sleeve and marriage is special to time. When I first met Shelby, I knew she was "the one", as in my "the one", to be my sister-in-law. 

Shelby fits just right into our wildly loud family. She has the witty jokes to spit back out at my dad and brings wine to functions to share with my mom. She loves Rylee and Jake to the moon and back and never misses sending Rylee a card for each passing holiday. I can easily talk to her, laugh with her, and when I am in panic mode trying to put together the last little things for Rylee's birthday party she swoops right in makes sure everything is in place.

I am so proud of my brother. He found a beautiful woman to start a new chapter in life together. I am excited to see where their adventure leads them and how much love will fill their home. 

All the ladies celebrated their upcoming wedding this past weekend. The shower was just beautiful. Lots of laughter, yummy food, and sweet decorations. 

Shelby, thank you for agreeing to join our family. We promise to make you laugh, embarrass you at some point, give you the best family sunday dinners, and of course you'll have the cutest niece and nephew! I love you and counting down till October 2! I feel so blessed to stand next to you and my brother as you become a wife and my brother becomes your husband.

 I was unaware of how emotional I would become at your shower and how the idea of my brother becoming your HUSBAND turns me into a blubbery mess. I still see my brother as the kid who I teased as a kid, the boy with the toy store tent bed, and busting into my playhouse pretending to be a ninja turtle and ruining my tea party. I still see the kid who would trip me while jumping on the trampoline, yell to everyone in the house that a boy called the house phone to talk to me, and use his mouth vs the cup to get water from the faucet when brushing our teeth. 

But now I see the man my brother has grown to be. How he opens door, carries the kids or my stuff when going to the car, how carefully he buckles Jake into his car seat. I see how he never hesitates when I ask him for help (he has babysat Jake on a whim multiple times). He has helped me move, grab ice for parties, bring food and beer to sunday dinners, and text me to ask how I am doing. I see how he loves Shelby, how he just truly adores. I see how much my brother has grown and how ready he is to become her husband.