my baby brother

Gone are the days when I was taller and smarter and better informed than Jonah.

Gone are the days when I towered over him, and yelled at him to get out of my room.

These days are gone because Jonah now towers over me.

And astounds me with his perception of people.

And amazes me with his basketball skills.

When I moved away for college he was 10 (now he's 15).

When I decided, just this last week, to stop treating him like he was 10, spending time with him became fun.

When I decided to stop treating him like a 10 year old, we stayed up late watching Remember the Titans, we laughed at inappropriate YouTube videos, we made fun of ugly Lakers players, and he told me about the challenges he experienced as a freshman in high school.

As it turns out, Jonah is in fact, funny, and kind, and thoughtful, and way smarter and more talented than I will ever be.

After 15 years, I'm finally able to recognize what an incredible human my baby brother is. I just never took the time to pay attention.

Jonah, you amaze me.

All good things must come to an end.

I'm feeling overwhelmed by sadness.

I'm mourning the end of my first year of JVC. I'm mourning Tricia's move out of 130 Bryant St. I'm mourning the too fast passing of time. I'm mourning change. I'm mourning being left behind by Kristina, Kierstin, Lucas, and Jordan in DC at the end of July.

My greatest struggle is remaining present to the present. I always seem to get caught up in what could be rather than what is. And then before I know it the future is happening and I didn't spend enough time focusing on the present.

How many hours, minutes, seconds, did I waste thinking about and planning for what comes next (and let's be honest, I was just going to make that decision at the last minute anyway) when I should have been absorbing everything that is going on RIGHT NOW?

So now, it's been 1 year and 1 month since I graduated from college, 1 year since I was teaching swimming lessons, 11 months since I moved to the east coast, and everything is a big blur (and not just because I recently found out I have astigmatism).

The last year has been a wonderful blur of activity, experience, love, tears, joy, struggles, challenges, and friendship.

Even though it's all a little blurry, I know it was wonderful, because if it hadn't been, I wouldn't feel so sad that it's coming to an end right now.

23rd Birthday! In the top 5 birthday celebrations of all time :)

Birthday Paper Crafting by Kiki

Community plus Pat and Alicia

Birthday Canoli Cream with Berries by Tricia


Drinking our "emilys"

Birthday Flowers from Community!