In honor of my darling sister’s 25th birthday today, I created a list of 25 of my favorite things about her. Without further ado, here’s a peek at the fabulous Bridgette (in no particular order) :

25. Bridgette is great at coming up with – and actually going on – adventures! We both love to live life to the fullest, and I adore how much fun she has just living day to day life. Everything can be turned into an adventure, if you try – and Bridgette is great at making anything and everything fun and adventurous. She has a natural curiosity and loves to learn & explore new things.

24. Her blog helped inspire my blog. I love the way that she writes, and even though I know the details of her life/happenings already, I absolutely love reading each and every post the moment it’s posted! She is such a talented writer, clearly loves to share travel tips and other fun adventures, and has such a fun and interesting life to read about.

23. She can make me laugh like no other person in the world! Seriously, the girl is hilarious. I love when I see Bridgette because, among many other things, I know I’m going to laugh and laugh.

22. I love Bridgette’s deep love of cities (NYC, London, etc). She just loves urban living, walking around cities (and loathing traffic/driving), explore the ins and outs of any city, cramming as many fun adventures into a day or a weekend, and experiencing as much as a city has to offer. This is one of our biggest differences, and I think it’s so cool that Bridgette & Rob will likely live in cities for a very long time!

21. I love love love that we only live two hours from each other (as of now!). It’s such a blessing to have her so ‘close’ to me, as we likely won’t live too close to each other in the coming years. I love that we can drive to each other for a daytrip, or meet halfway at a winery, or spend the weekends together with so much more ease. I just love knowing that I can see her every couple weeks instead of every few months.

20. I’m her Chuga. Yes, that’s the nickname she affectionately gave me many, many years ago. This girl is the queen of creating unique (code for: weird) nicknames and actually using them all the time. I don’t even know how many nicknames we have for each other and for our parents! We even have plenty of made up songs and cheers…

19. I love that we got to experience UNC together (at least for two years). We both fell deeply in love with UNC and our college experiences, and I’m so thankful for that two of our college years overlapped. It was such a joy seeing her regularly throughout the week, getting to know her friends so well, having her know my friends so well, going to church together, working together, and having lunch and dinner and ice cream dates. I love that some of my favorite college memories include Bridgette! Tar Heel sisters for life, that’s for sure.

18. Bridgette has an amazing sense of style! I know she used to love my wardrobe when we were growing up, but somewhere along the way, I think that flipped! Bridgette has such classic, gorgeous style, and I definitely admire how she can pull an outfit together with such ease and fashion sense. She also has her own sense of style and looks good in anything!

17. Her love of The Bachelor… which I definitely share in, too. We often text back and forth throughout the episodes, and we always re-hash and dish about the girls/guys each and every season. Our guilty TV pleasure is definitely The Bachelor, and I love that we share in that together!

16. Bridgie is both outwardly and inwardly beautiful. Seriously, my sister is stunning and her heart is just as beautiful. I love that she can teach me new makeup tips and show me how to curl my hair with a straightener, but she also teaches me how to love others more and to appreciate the world around us.

15. Bridgette is so wise. She may be my little sister, but I look up to her in so many ways, too. She is incredibly smart, practical, and wise, and her wisdom and thought is always so apparent with everything that she says and does.

14. I love that we text, talk, or gchat every single day! For sisters who have lived hundreds of miles apart for almost six straight years, we communicate often. It’s definitely a highlight of my day, and I love that simple texts are so special – and usually hilarious! One of the hardest weeks was when B + Rob were on their honeymoon so B and I couldn’t talk for a week. Naturally, I completely understood and didn’t even want to talk to her that week, but I actually made a list of everything I needed to remember to tell her for the whole week. I just love talking to her, period.

13. I really love that I can go to my little sister for sound advice. I trust her completely, and I know she’s also looking out for my best interests.

12. No one else shares so many memories with me.

11. I love how much Bridgie loves to travel! She is eager to delve into the word around her, try new things, and see as much of life as she can. I love traveling with her, and I cannot wait for future trips (London!) with Bridgette. She makes traveling so fun, and we have pretty similar travel styles. In fact, she’s headed to Iceland and Sweden today!

10. Bridgette has a heart of gold. She is always, always putting others’ needs above her own, she has a heart for serving others, and she genuinely cares. She is always volunteering, is often working for non-profits, and generally thinks of others first. Bridgette is compassionate and kind, which is an invaluable and exceptional trait.

9. She is so good at suggesting new websites, business ideas, events around my city, blogs, outfits, etc to me. I really love her suggestions, since I trust Bridgette’s opinion the very most! If she tells me I should check out someone’s blog or if I should wear that dress, I’m probably going to listen! I just love her suggestions and advice, since she knows me so well.

8. I love watching her love others – her husband, our family, her friends, and everyone that she is around. I rarely ever hear her complain (chief complaints: traffic and sweating), and she is always so full of love and joy. She really radiates these things, which makes her so friendly and approachable to anyone. She loves others wholly, and it’s so impressive to watch (and also receive that love!).

7. She makes Chex Mix just as delicious as our mom, and she mails it to me. Enough said.

6. I love the we both looove margaritas and wineries. I’d say some of our funniest and best memories (and conversations) involve one of the two!

5. The girl can do it all & do it well! She is not one to brag whatsoever, so I like to brag for her. She is incredibly smart and ambitious.. and athletic and competitive.. and beautiful and talented.. and she is just a wonderful wife, sister, daughter, and friend, all around. 

4. I can be completely, 100% myself around Bridgette. Isn’t that one of the best feelings in the world?

3. We’re weird. We’re very weird together! And I just love it. There’s no one who makes me laugh more, no one who I have as many inside jokes/memories with, and who I can be so silly with!

2. Bridgette is so sound in her faith and in how she lives her life. I look up to her so much, and she is an incredible example of Christ. She cares for others deeply, loves so well, and follows the Lord in all that she says and does – and her faith is so apparent because of the way that she lives.

1. She’s been my absolute best friend – and sister- for exactly 25 years… and so many more to come!!! Bridgette is THE best sister and THE best friend I could ever ask for.

Happy, happy birthday to my very favorite person in the world! I can’t wait to see you this afternoon, Bridgie!!