When I was little, I thought she should open a restaurant because her chinese meatballs and steamed egg custard soup tasted so good; her domesticated savvy is most likely the reason I enjoy entertaining today. I admire her strong will, even though at times when I was younger I never appreciated it. And don't try to sneak anything by her; she takes cr*p from no one!

Daddy was always the one to drop us off at school in the [large] tan Caprice Classic. I loved that car; the velour seats were so soft. Through the years I've begun to see him as an open minded and sensitive person, and prolific writer. When my mom tells me stories that he can't sleep at night because he's thinking about his latest passion, I know that I am my father's daughter!

The one that lives too far away. The time difference makes it hard to find the right time to call, but thank goodness for instant messengers. They're just the right medium by which she can tell me about her dogs' antics and I can tell her about my latest crockpot adventures. I'm giving her five more years to come out to California for good.

Even when she's fifty I bet she'll be mistaken for a little kid. Brenda's a small person with a quiet voice, but with big talent. Her skill speaks for itself, so it's just a matter of time before she really capitalizes on it. And if you ever have any questions about decorating, construction, or remodeling on a budget, she's an amazing wealth of knowledge. Crown molding, anyone?

It's funny how it took me twenty years to realize how important family is. I used to criticize things our family did that weren't completely conventional, like my mom's egg rolls during Thanksgiving and a Christmas tree that had our ugly school-made Christmas decorations, but now it's those things that I love the most. We're all different in our own little ways, but it's amazing to see ourselves in each other too.