HAPPY BIRTHDAY LAVALE!

This past week LaVale celebrated her Birthday! Happy Birthday! You're one year wiser! There is a lot that could be said about LaVale. We've shared a lot of memories and developed quite a friendship over the years. Something that stands out in my mind are the trips I would take to Texas to visit her and LaWonna. I wanted to spend as much time with LaVale as I could. When I was about nine, I started to board the plane every summer and spend some time down south. It felt like visiting my big sister. She would listen when I needed to talk. She offered advice. She scared me into making good choices growing up, and she was always transparent with her own life. That was when I was nine, and now many years later, not much has changed. She is still always there when you need her. She is still always willing to listen if I need to vent. She still always has some sort of advice. She is still open, honest and transparent.

I've watched her face some incredibly difficult times. I've watched her fight for peace of mind. I've watched her start over.

She is stronger than she believes. She is wiser than she knows. She is more beautiful inside and out than she thinks. She's is an amazing human being, and I'm blessed to have such an incredible friend. I used to introduce her as my friend, because I thought it was more special than cousin, but now I realize how privileged I am to have a best friend that is my cousin.

LaVale is more than just a survivor. She is a conquerer. And I believe with my entire being that there is nothing she can't overcome, and there is nothing she won't overcome.

Happy Birthday LaVale. I wish you peace and joy.

LaVale scared at The Natural History Museum, and Driving through the Petrified Forest on the way home from Las Vegas, (when she drove something like 40 or the 45 hours because I got food poisoning.)


We decided to wander around The Atlantis one night and NO ONE was out. We went into the underground shark tunnels and it was pitch black. We walked through half of the tunnel, and then couldn't see the other end, turned around and went inside.


Christmas tree shopping and now after years of her yelling at me for always taking pictures, she has become the shutterbug.



Thank you for your sense of humor. You're laughter is contagious and I can't stop cracking up whenever we are together.