This is my sister, Halley. She just turned 10, which is a big milestone, not only because it marks the beginning of the double digit years, but more importantly, because it is the year in which the Folsom females are allowed to get holes poked through their earlobes. I had the consummate privilege of being at Claire's with Halley for this pre-pubescent rite of passage and was totally impressed with her courageous stoicism in the "hot seat."
Halley calls me almost every day...just to chat. If I'm not home, she leaves a message:
"Hi Emily, this is Halley...I'm just kinda bored and wanted to talk to you...so give me a call when you get this message."
But when I'm home, we chat about very important things like how she's going to get that cute boy, Carter, over to her house to swim if he never answers his phone!?! And the latest gadget she's purchased for her posh Webkinz pad. And about how she went on a three hour horse-back ride, THREE HOURS! with dad, when all she'd eaten that morning was "one stinkin' PowerBar" and she was sooooooooo hungry the whole time.
Very important stuff, we talk about. Very important, I tell you! She's most entertaining.
My favorite things about Halley:
She's always up for anything. Anytime.
You wanna have a seat war on the trampoline? She's out on the tramp, LiCkEtY SpLiT! Ready for war. You wanna make cards? She's getting out the paper and scissors and stamps and she's seated at the dining room table, marker in hand, before you've even taken your next breath. You wanna go swimming, no matter that she just washed and styled her gorgeous hair, she's half nekkid and searching for her swim suit before you've had a chance to blink.
She loves H more than the Suite Life of Zack and Cody (and that, my friends, is a lot of love!) And almost as much as her Webkinz pets. Almost. (wink! wink!) She is such a helpful, loving, fun, playful aunt. When she came to visit me, she changed diapers, bathed with H, played with him, read stories to him, got him in and out of his car seat and the stroller, I hardly even had to ask -- she was just willing and ready to help at every turn. Oh what I wouldn't give to have an Aunt Halley next door, or down the road...or at least in the same state!
Halley is more self-motivated than any other ten year old I know. Hmmm, come to think of it, I don't know very many ten year olds, so maybe I should say that she's more self-motivated than I am. But depending on the day, that may or may not be saying much. (*Huff!*) The point is that she is extremely disciplined and conscientious. She does all of her homework as soon as she gets home from school. Even her AR (accelerated reader) reading. And I don't know if she still does this, but she used to do exercises from her Bridges Workbooks every day in the summer to keep her mind sharp in the absence of school and to get ready for the next grade. Maybe the elementary school world's just more cut-throat than it used to be, but if I remember correctly, I was eating popsicles and splashing down slippery slides during the lazy days of summer. School was way, way down on the list of "Things to Care About," right behind brushing my hair, which is why I looked like a bushy-tailed RAGGED MUFFIN pretty much until puberty.
Here's what Halley had to say for herself:
I love to: play soccer
Favorite Color: light green
I'm afraid of: the dark and scary movies (me too, Hal :)
Future Dreams: to play pro soccer and be a veterinarian
Favorite memory with Em: coming for spring break.
Halley, in your prayers, you used to ask Heavenly Father to, "please bless the opportunities." I'm pretty sure you didn't have a clue as to what that meant, but that's ok, (I still say things when I'm not quite sure of their meaning,) but what I want you to know is that if I were a betting (wo)man, I'd put a hefty wager on the fact that there are some really great opportunities in store for you, my dear. You are so bright and bubbly, super smart with a touch of sass. I love every last drop of you. You have a magical way of making everyone feel like they're your favorite, (but just between you and me, I know I'm your true fave.) And even though you are one of the most ferocious little competitors I've ever encountered, ever, you have a really tender heart and a sensitive soul. I remember one night you wanted me to walk you upstairs to your room because you were scared, and I made a big stink about it; maybe even called you a baby or something, and big tears welled up in your eyes and you said, "Emily, I am so scared. Do you even know what I have watched?" (implying that you'd seen some scary things on TV recently that made you too afraid to walk to your room by yourself. I should have been more sensitive seeing as how I know a thing or two about getting spooked by freaky fiction -- I was, after all, the one who couldn't sleep after watching Field of Dreams, for fear that a host of uniformed ghosts would emerge from the wardrobe closet in my bedroom.)
I miss you too much, Girlie-Whirlie. I can't wait to see you again so we can do make-overs and have late-night cookie baking parties and play Clue and Huskerdu...Dang the distance between us!
I love you right to smithereens. Even if you do leave your empty fruit snack wrappers in my bed, after you watch "Suite Life" in the guest room. (wink!)
A big squeeze and a smooch,
Em
No comments:
Post a Comment