Baby Bird gets engaged

The literal translation of my sister's nickname comes from the way she walks in heels. I kid you not, she looks like a baby bird learning to walk. However, over the years, "Baby Bird" has taken on a much deeper meaning for me and my parents. Although she's less than 3 years my junior, and despite the fact we often were mistaken for twins when younger (you'll have to take my word for it...there's no way I am posting awkward tween Jenny and Becky photos to this blog), my little sister will always be the baby of my family. The bald, Portuguese baby who used to grab fist-fulls of my hair and put the strands on her head, just to have long hair like me. The little girl who used to dance around singing "Look at this stuff...isn't it neat?" pretending to be Ariel. The PhD candidate who still can't touch (or really look too closely at) sandwich meat without gagging.

This past Wednesday marked a momentous occasion for Baby Bird: her long time boyfriend, Adam, proposed. Now, I can't say I was shocked when she called with the good news. We all saw this coming a million miles away and, trust me, wedding planning has pretty much dominated every conversation we've had for the past year. But what I wasn't prepared for was how emotional the actual event would be. Hearing Becky so happy was amazing. And seeing her gorgeous new engagement ring on her finger is so strange. In a way, it feels like a scene out of the "book" we wrote when we were younger, all about our future families. A sweet fantasy. We can't possibly be old enough to be off on our own, with our own families...can we? But in another, bigger way, it feels just right.

Without giving away too much of the killer Matron of Honor speech I plan on giving on Becky and Adam's big day (people will laugh...people will cry..), I knew from their very first date that Becky had met her match in Adam. They are just so good together.

This Gold Star trumps all others this week. Congratulations again, Becky and Adam! Enjoy every second of this happy time.

PS: It goes without saying that I am already excited to take your engagement photos next year...for real this time!