Happy Birthday, Mel!

I would like to give a shout out today to the birthday girl.

Melodie is about the closest thing to a sister I could have. Will blessed us all when he got on his knee and begged for her hand in marriage (even if she did want orange juice so badly that she almost missed the proposal).

After she was a great server at my favorite restaurant (even if she did offer a tampon instead of a straw and even if she did drop an earring in a customer's spaghetti and a crab cake in another customer's purse), she became a wonderful, relaxed, and calm first-time mother who's very generous with her precious baby girl.

She is a hard-working stay-home mom who appreciates that her husband's work ethic allows her to stay home with her baby girl.

She is a great friend to many--girls, boys, kids, babies, men, older men (go Cliff!) and women.

She came into what was Will's world and happily made it her own. She is pro-active and involved at church and is adored by everyone there who has had the opportunity to be welcomed by her.

She loves my children, which seals the deal. When Reagan was a toddler, she used to watch the Wiggles and do their dances with him. How many aunts do that?

She is eternally thoughtful and never forgets a thing.

She is a dream daughter-in-law for my parents.

She is so good to go into our family get-togethers and hug everyone. She has done that since the first time she went to either of our grandparents' houses, just like they were her family all along.

She never meets a stranger.

She has a HYSTERICAL sense of humor and says funny, funny things (even though I don't think she's a natural blonde). I hope she forgives us for laughing and understands that it's terribly endearing (even if Keep Lee and the rest of us do beat her menus with a dead horse).

She loves her God and talks to him faithfully.

I love you, Mel, and am proud to call you my sister-in-law. :)