5.22.2008

This One Goes Out to the One I Love

Today, one of my favorite people in the whole world, who also happens to be my sister-in-law, is having a birthday...

Happy 21 Kate!!!

Here are 21 reasons why I love Kate: 

1) She's not afraid to look awesome.

2) She was, is, and always will be a huge troublemaker. The proof is in the pudding ... this one started young (and also started months of investigation and visits to her home by DCFS).

3) She can make me laugh harder than almost anyone. Once, Becca {Scott's other sister} ripped on Kate's nose and said she {Becca} had the best nose in the family. Surprisingly, Sharon {the mom} sort of agreed with Becca saying, "Yes, you do have a great nose." Kate got all up in arms about Sharon not defending her schnoz and then turned to Becca, "Well?!? What about me?" Becca sarcastically replied that at least she had good lobes. I about died! That was all she could come up with? Good earlobes? But Kate looked at me, shrugged her shoulders, smiled and said, "I DO have good lobes. They're meaty!"

4) She is a HUGE part of my kids' lives. I think she might almost love them as much as I do. With newborn Henry...

5) She was brave enough to be in the delivery room when I had Ruby ...
6) ... and took beautiful pictures with her mad photography skillz.
7) She doesn't care what other people think. In high school she'd wear a full sweat suit, moccasins, and pull her hair back in a wet bun (as many days in a row as she could get away with). She has since solemnly declared Monday as "Sweat Pants Monday." Please join her in her religious observance of this holy day.

8) She can bring the freak out in me like nobody's business. Like the time in the car I just bust out singing along with Eminem, "the moment, you own it, you better never let it go, do NOT miss this chance you've got 'cuz opportunity knocks once in a lifetime..." or however that goes. Kate, apparently, thought it was hilarious. She cracked up laughing so hard that I suddenly realized she was NOT laughing with me, she was laughing at me -- here I was, her prehistoric sister-in-law, who has borne children into the world, singing -- or shall I say rapping? -- along with Eminem.


9)
She knows how to make time out FUN! {Only a fun aunt would go behind mom's back and sneak over to time out boy and start messin' around. Kate, that's not what time out is for! All my hard work just went down the drain!}

10) She is the biggest Christmas fanatic I have ever met. Last year Sharon said she was too tired to put up and take down Christmas decorations (mind you, Kate lives away at college). She might as well have just told Kate that she herself killed Santa, the Easter Bunny, and Bambi in one fell swoop. Kate was shocked, horrified, outraged, and deeply, deeply hurt. Which leads me to my next point...

11) Kate is the master of all major manipulators. She can convince almost anyone to do almost anything. So ... guess who ended up putting up all the Christmas decorations last year?

12) Speaking of Christmas ... she is shameless about her excitement for opening presents. Birthdays, Hanukkah, Memorial Day -- you name it -- she wants presents! Every year she rigs the siblings exchange in Christensen family so things work out just right {she and Becca refuse to "draw" each other's name because they still want to get presents from each other and us! Shameless I tell ya! LOL!}. I think in this picture she was sad that she hadn't gotten enough presents.

13) She eats, breaths, and sleeps Dr. Pepper, which she has been quoted as saying is "the only good thing I have going in my life." She would give up the following things in exchange for Dr. Pepper: legos, water, food, air, ninja turtles, and men {okay, maybe not men but definitely the rest of those useless things}.

14) She is one of the sweetest, most caring people I know.{and also has a pretty bangin' bod!}

15) She and her BFF, Seth, were serious filmmakers while in their youths. They took their Disney music videos VERY seriously, at least until the age of ... 16!!!

16) She is picky when it comes to men! She always complains that she doesn't have a boyfriend and I say, "Look around! Everyone else with a significant other has already lowered their standards! What are you waiting for? Chad Michael Murray?" {Or are you of the James Lafferty sort? I can never remember. And hey! Are you proud of me for googling OTH to find out their names? Oh the things I do for you!}

17) She's not afraid to look hot and let people know how she feels about herself. She was studying the following picture shortly after it was developed, finally turned to Sharon and said, "Man, I look HOT!"

18) She is a die hard Cubs fan and gave Henry his first pieces of Cubs paraphernalia.
19) She is the most coordinated, die-hard "tuber-ist" I have ever met. She only complained for like nine months when Scott drove the snowmobile maybe a little too fast and she went whipping off the tube and sort of broke her collar bone or something super minor like that.

20) She is definitely one of my best friends!

21) And last but not least, I think she has proven herself through trials of the refiner's fire this past year -- trials more difficult than I have ever experienced. Somehow, she is coming through it and has become a stronger person, even though she may feel differently about the "stronger" part. She teaches me every day with her humor, her absolute passion and loyalty for friends and family, her love for life, and most of all, her belief in something greater than this life.
Happy Birthday Kate!
We Love You!

11 comments:

Jaeson and Traci Repscher said...

So nice Celia! You are so kind and thoughtful, I'll bet your sister-in-laws love you just as much. Tomorrow will be one of my best days in months! SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE! Don't forget to tune in. Hey, are we scrapbooking? That would just be too great of a day to handle.

Two Ladies and No Baby said...

Whoa Cel, you're making me cry here at work. These are some of the nicest things anyone has ever said about me. I'm speechless here (which doesn't happen often). Coming up with 21 good things to say about me is quite a task. Thank you! I'm excited for this weekend with ya'll!
-Birfday Girl

P.S. Both Chad Michael Murray and James Lafferty(very impressed that you looked up these fellas, by the way), are easy on the eyes, but James Lafferty is more my type. Ya know, tall, dark and ruggedly hansom. Extremely athletic and has a serious bod. Ya know, kinda looks like the guys I usually date. NBD

auntie libby said...

happy birthday to kate!!! a fantastic reason to celebrate and ditto to all that was said.

great post...hope you don't mind me stalking! i'll come back often. it's good to see the kids and how much they have grown. and well good to see you guys too.

much love....libby (sharon's friend in farmington)

Anonymous said...

Kate,
I'm running a little low on gas. Can I borrow mom's gas card?

Scott

Anonymous said...

Kate,

While you are cruising with the ladies in a few weeks, please have Cel buy you a DP on me. In fact, how about a sixer? You might as well go crazy now that you're 21. Remember your two options at this point: 1)Get completely sloppy drunk, or 2) put in your mission papers. The choice is yours at Chuck-a-rama.

Scott

Anonymous said...

This made me cry Cels. My baby Kate is grown up and I miss having little ones. Why do you live so far away. I need to see those babies. Love you Sharon

Anonymous said...

Note to self...don't read such posts at work. I was a wreck reading this post. Luckily my kids were painting so they didn't notice. I heart the lady!
-Becca

harmony said...

I knew I got on to your blog for a reason today. What sort of crazy world do you and your fam live in. You make me cry, you make me laugh. A minister? Seriously, only in Christensen World. Happy Birthday Kate.

ali said...

I am going to insert my name into all these compliments and pretend like someone is saying them about me. Is that egotistical?

Unknown said...

Celia! It's Jane (Burrows) Chipman. I found your blog through Harmony's blog and long story yadayadayada... Anyhow, I just wanted to say hi and tell you your little family is so cute. Email me if you get a chance at jane.chipman at comcast.net. Glad to see you're doing so well. Hope to hear from you soon!

Adrienne said...

Well, Cels, I dig Kate so much I named my firstborn child after her! So top that!

Ps. i loved Scott's comments above. If my opinion counts, Kate, i say get sloppy drunk--mission papers are for the birds! (sorry Cels!) :)