"Aunt Dango"

My baby sister, Dannielle, is five years younger than me.  Of course, she's not really a "baby" anymore since she now has a career, an apartment, a car payment, and a pile of students loans (Welcome to adulthood, Sissy - isn't it swell???).  She's also an awesome aunt to my two boys and is affectionately referred to as "Aunt Dango" in our house.  She had a bunch of time off this past week and drove down to spend a few days with us, and while here, she joked that I should blog about her...this should teacher her not to joke about such things!

As kids we only played together because we happened to have the same parents and sleep under the same roof.  See, I was terribly OCD a little fussy about my toys, and well, Dannielle, she wasn't.  I swear she was on a mission to destroy my perfectly created Barbie dream lands.  I guess I threw such incredibly fits that my mom started barricading me in my room to play by myself (there are pictures to prove this phenomenon).  Poor Dannielle, I made a rotten playmate.  Luckily, she had my brother through those years....

Now fast forward a few years.  When I left for college, Dannielle was in middle school, and somewhere in those four years of higher education, my sister and I became friends (probably because Barbies were no longer apart of the equation).  And then she became one of my best friends. 

I can tell her anything and everything...and do.  I can cry to her over the phone or in person...and have.  She was my Maid of Honor.  She has made countless changes to her schedule in order to come visit us seven hours away - first with our parents and now by herself.  She even drove down for a week once to babysit when Logan was unexpectedly kicked out of a daycare (now there's a story I should tell...).  She has been a fixture in the lives of both of my children, and they love her dearly.  Seriously, I would want her to care for my children if there ever came a day when Justin and I could not.  What more could you want in a sister?

So here's to you, Aunt Dango.  I love you, my family loves you, and we all hope you come back to visit again really soon!

And because I feel a strong need to post pictures....oh so many good pictures but so little time and space...

With Logan...

With Logan again...

With Gavin...

With Gavin again...

And finally, a picture from this weekend with both boys...

And to Dannielle - Be grateful all of our childhood pictures are tucked safely away in Hometown, IA with Mom and Dad because I so would have posted some if I could.