hijacked...again!

It’s me, Melanie, again. I am seriously getting good at this hijacking thing aren’t I? (yes, this is me looking for validation)

For those of you who don’t know or have the memory of a goldfish, I have been hijacking this blog for the past few years on January 12.

Why?

Because everyone needs to know when it is this girl’s birthday. (that would be today)

Because everyone needs their opportunity to thank her. (you probably all have reason to)

Because I need to publicly embarrass her by showing you some pictures. (Just kidding there Bri, get the breathing under control. I won’t show those wonderful 30th birthday pictures. You remember the ones I’m talking about though, right?)

But mostly it's because I want to tell you about how Briana is like a clown.

Wait, what?

Yes I did.

I said Briana is like a clown.

Not in the creepy I-am-trying-to-be-funny-but-I-am-really-only-to-give-you-nightmares, way.

No, she doesn’t wear big shoes, or make balloon animals, or cover her face with make-up (she doesn’t need it!) and she doesn’t make small children cry.

She juggles.

She juggles really well. Lots of balls in the air, all the time. She does it quietly, without complaint. And she does it with every ounce of energy she has.

She goes without sleep to comfort non-sleeping children. [mom ball]

She wakes up at the crack of dawn and gives everything she has in her day for her employer [work ball]

She spends her commute home calling her mom, her sisters, her brothers checking in, lending support, and being a crying shoulder. [daughter ball, sister ball]

She spends her nights and lunch breaks, planning lessons and activities for church. [church member ball]

She spends her weekends cleaning house, doing laundry, and grocery shopping. [homemaker ball]

She brings people dinners when she hasn’t figured out what her own family is eating [good neighbor ball]

She lends her time, money, ears, shoulder and heart to any friend in need [friend ball]

And she gives whatever precious little time she has to her husband to talk, to laugh, to cry, to clean, to move furniture, or to watch TV (anything but icarly) together. [wife ball]

There are more things than even I, the wise best friend, even realize people ask of her. She does it. She will go without sleep and food or time for herself to go the distance for someone.

Because the way Briana lives her life is to better everything she has touched.

To bless everyone with a good friend who will be in their corner.

I know because she has bettered me, and she has been in my corner for almost a decade, sacrificing her time, her sleep, her money and sometimes a piece of her sanity for me.

And if you know her, chances are she has done the same for you.

So go ahead, take this chance. On her 29th birthday. (29 + a few years) and tell her thanks even though we all know thanks isn’t nearly enough to touch all she does, it definitely can’t hurt!

Happy Birthday, Bri! And you are welcome for not posting incriminating pictures. Next year, you might not be so lucky.