that time of year again

Nope, sorry. As desperate as you all are to hear from the real blogger of this here blog, you will, I am sure, be sad to discover it is only I, Melanie, performing my annual hijacking of the blog for Bri's special birthday post.

Today, as I re-read previous posts, I realize I have focused more on who Bri is to everyone else, and what I would like to do this year, is to focus on what she is to me.

Bri is my Oprah.

(And yes, That make me Gayle King.)

Bri is larger than life.

She accomplishes more in one hour than I do in one day.

She is everything to so many of you, and I am lucky if my mom remembers my name.

She is smarter than smart and creativity oozes from her pores (it's really not as repulsive as it sounds).

And I like to copy her.

She is compassionate with people who don't deserve it.

Everything she touches turns to gold.

She excels at everything she attempts.

I don't do any of those things.

Most of the time, like Gayle does with Oprah, I stand in the shadow of Bri's light.

And I watch her and I wish I could be half the person she is.

I stand in the shadow of this larger than life human and know that standing there has taught me more than standing almost any other place in the world.

And every day I am thankful for her in my life.

And every year on her birthday I attempt to show her in some lame, uninspired way what a wonderful human being she is.

And I know I don't do her justice, you just can't accurately describe something as bright as the sun.

But in my own way, I try and I will keep trying every year to tell her that I am a better person today for knowing her. And that standing in her shadow is brighter than standing in most people's brightest light.

So happy birthday, Bri.

29 looks real good on you.