and evil takes a human form in regina george...

My sister called me today, and asked me a question I was not ready for.
In her 11 year old innocence--she wanted my "wisdom" to help her out.
"Have you figured out how to deal with the mean girls?" she asked.
"I'm just sick of the [the mean girl] hating me."

And truth be told, I had to tell her "no." I haven't figured it out.
I've had girls hate me all my life.
I've learned to deal with it ... and cope in my own way.
But I've never figured it out.

But this is not my story.

As I talked to her ... for the life of me I couldn't figure out how anyone can't love my adorable little sister.

She's kind to everyone she meets. She LOVES everyone. She's considerate, funny, smart, and ridiculously talented (just ask her violin teacher). She makes the funniest jokes and always wants everyone to have a smile on their face.

What isn't to love about that?!

I've gushed a thousand times about the fact that my mom is pretty much spectacular.
She TOTALLY is. This week she sent me this video:



It was a tender moment, realizing my mom thought this of me.
But these lines really got me:

"I'm thirteen now and don't know how my friends could be so mean
I come home crying and you hold me tight and grab the keys
And we drive and drive until we found a town far enough away
And we talk and window shop till I forget their names

I don't know who I'm gonna talk to now at school
But I know I'm laughing on the car ride home with you
Don't know how long it's gonna take to feel ok
But I know I had the best day with you today"

I'm grateful that we have each other.
I'm grateful for my mom--that she's always had my back, and that she has my sister's back. And that Mikaela knows I have hers. Because, in this life, that's all you can really ask for.
Friends that are real. Friends that actually care. Family, because they're always there.

"We are all in this together. We need each other. Oh, how we need each other. Those of us who are old need you who are young, and hopefully, you who are young need some of us who are old...We need deep and satisfying and loyal friendships with each other. These friendships are a necessary source of sustenance. We need to renew our faith every day. We need to lock arms and help build the kingdom so that it will roll forth and fill the whole earth."

--Marjorie Pay Hinckley--