Mini-Rachel and Mini-Sharla

My dear friend Sharla and I met in August 1997 as we both arrived at the University of Southern Indiana to check into our apartment at the same time. Never did I realize then that she would become not only my lifelong friend but also my sister.

We roomed together for two years at USI before I moved out and Sharla ventured to study in England. But within a year, we were back to rooming together off-campus. We shared many great times together including "Tim" our handy neighbor, suicidal goldfish, and instant messaging each other from only 10 feet away.

In late-2003, Sharla got married, and I was her maid of honor. 10 months later, I got married, and she was my matron of honor. We both went to Las Vegas for our honeymoon :-). We tend to dress alike, talk alike, laugh at the same things, and probably drive our husbands completely insane. Her parents are my second parents, and I feel like I am an honorable member of the family. We have seen each other through some very difficult times, and the 1 1/2 hour distance between us sometimes seems like 1,000 miles.

In late-2008, Sharla became pregnant, and it was such a joyous occasion! I was going to be an "aunt" again. And in early-2009, I became pregnant too. As you can tell, we rarely do anything without the other! LOL! And so our adventure of sharing pregnancy stories began. We were due only 2 months apart, but on July 17, 2009, her beautiful daughter Rinoa decided to arrive several weeks early. She is a mini-Sharla in looks, much like my daughter, who Lee calls mini-Rachel.

This weekend we celebrated Rinoa's 1st birthday, and oh how time has flown by! Our girls are growing up before our very eyes quicker than we both imagined. They are nearly the same height and weight as each other, and both girls have dark hair and dark eyes. Above all, they are both gorgeous! Sharla and I hope that their friendship continues through their childhood, and we hope they understand how important their mothers' relationship is.

I feel so lucky to not only have a great friend and "sister" but to be able to share motherhood with her as our girls grow up together. Warm fuzzies!

America Has a Birthday Too!

So at nearly 9 months old, Amelia got to celebrate her first 4th of July! And, we celebrated in a way that we never have before.

July 3rd we went to visit my sister and her family in my hometown. It was some much needed bonding time between Amelia and the Kordes. In a few short weeks, they will get to have Amelia for her first overnight away from home - sniff, sniff :-(. It was an overall great visit that included a cookout, Amelia scaring Bandit the dog, ride in a wagon, new toys, and new adventures. Amelia had a wonderful time, and it was great to spend time with my sister's family. Unfortunately we just don't do it enough.

On July 4th, we celebrated America's birthday the only American way - baseball and fireworks :-). We watched as the Louisville Bats defeated the hometown Indianapolis Indians - 4 to 2. Lee's mom came with us and rooted for the Bats, much the chagrin of the fans around us. Even though it was a hot day, the game and the atmosphere made it fun. We had a wonderful time, and Amelia and Lee both got to enjoy their first live baseball game.

After the game, we were treated to two fireworks shows. The Indians had one on the field, and we could see the Indianapolis city fireworks as well. Amelia was amazed! The fireworks were beautiful, and I got a little teary-eyed watching my daughter see them for the first time. It also made me think about what our forefathers went through to allow us the freedoms we have today. Thank you!

All in all, it was a fabulous weekend. We made good memories that will last a lifetime, and Amelia had more "firsts". She was such a trooper sitting in the heat for 6 hours, and she never ceases to amaze me.

Happy Birthday America!