Twenty

Twenty years ago today a baby girl was born. No big deal, right? I already had a baby girl cousin & a baby girl sister. What would be so special about this girl.

Wrong answer. This girl embodied special from the moment I met her. This girl's name is Minkey {for all practical purposes}. Yeah, she's my youngest cousin. Yeah, she's one of my best friends. Yeah, I love all the junk right out of her.

This post honors her with twenty of my most favorite things about her.

Happy Birthday, Mink.

1. I love her eyeballs. They're brown & beautiful. They make you admired when you look into them.

2. While we're on her appearance, I love that she looks a teensy bit Asian.

3. I love that she's like a sister to me. I treasure having a sister {Cal} as much as more than I treasure the breath I'm breathing right now. The more the merrier. Thank God for my honorary sister, Mink.

4. I love that she thinks I'm kind of cool. {I have never been cool. Never will be; Don't tell my Minkey that!}

5. I love that Mink is a hungry ranger. She like gets my need for food. She gets that it's a need. She gets that I sometime need food right. now.

6. I love that she is a servant, a helper-bee. She is always looking for ways to help me. {I especially love when she comes to MI and cleans my house.}

7. Yeah, I love that she comes to MI. Come back anytime, Minkus. I miss you!!!!!!

8. I love how chill she is and that she is content to just be with me. {Favorite quality in a friend} I love that she lets me be myself. That me being myself is enough for her.

9. I love that she is my friend now. No longer just my baby cousin. I love that we'll be forever friends.

10. I love LOVE love that she goes along with my shenanigans. Always has. Maybe always will. {Pretty please??}

11. I LOVE the following shenanigans the most ... {in a very particular order} Room Service, POF {Spit Baby & Laughne 4eva!!!}, Team Canasta & Cuban Uno.

12. I love that Mink is always learning. She is forever asking good questions + I love that she thinks I actually have something meaningful to offer.

13. I love that in recent years, I have had the opportunity to really pour a lot of energy into her faith walk. It has been the absolute JOY of my life.

14. I love that in former years, Mink attended my backyard Bible clubs. {Don't be impressed. It was always just me, her, and Kiss.} I thank God now for whatever tidbits He used to draw her to His Son. What a privilege!

15. I love her devotion to the Word of God. Unwavering.

16. I love watching Mink now that she has a boyfriend. {Most people [myself included] DREAD this day for their littles. Myself included. However ...} she (+J)  have navigated through the tricky waters of dating with caution, thoughtful prayer & counsel. And it just makes me proud.

17. I love seeing her heart for people develop. Her heart for her sisters. Her heart to share truth. Her heart for family. Her heart for the nations. She gets it. Love God + Love People.

18. I love how much my husband loves her. Yep. She's one of Josh's favorite people too.

19. I love Decembers with her. {Favorite memory alert: Gingerbread houses + trying to get Bubba Joe to sample the buttermilk/goat's milk/whatever else kind of milk we bought + burning ourselves with glue gun [me getting chastised for not supervising well enough] + dancing to country music videos [esp. Toby Keith's Who's Your Daddy?] Of course, I also love always sitting in the front seat on 12/24 with her on our ride. Oh yeah, we rule!} Yes & Amen. We will be reunited in less than two weeks. Praise the Lord. Hallelujer.

20. I love that even though she's twenty, she will ALWAYS be 7!!!! Happy 7th Birthday, Minkey Leigh.

Love you always,
Ash