23, 4:56 AM, December 11th

At 4:56 AM, on December 11, 1992, I came into this world, causing my first (of many) scenes. 

I guess you could say that I have literally been impatient my whole life. I was born a month premature, probably because I was just bored. My uncle Doug was set to turn 31 the day that I was born, and I often joke about being the best birthday present anyone has ever received. Reflecting back now, I may have been wrong.

Today, I turn 23 and my uncle turns 21 for the umpteenth time. Today, I not only celebrate my birthday, but I celebrate the end of my first semester of my senior year of college. Today, while I celebrate my success, I mourn that neither of my parents are here to celebrate with me. Which is why I have to put this blog post into the world. Let me tell you about the best birthday present I have ever received. 

My uncle Doug is no stranger to my mistakes, but he loves me anyway. Even though he will be the first to tell you about his Tinkerbell tattoo, or all of the shenanigans he got into in his "younger" days, he is one of the most wise people I have ever had the pleasure of being related to. While he will tell you he isn't the authority on wisdom, I have to beg to differ. He is a man who helped me grow up (in my rebellious teen years) by telling me "I won't blow sunshine up your ass. I have to tell you how it is." My uncle has always cared passionately, loved hard; and has always been fiercely loyal to the truth. 

I am sure it's hard to believe that its been 23 years since that 3 AM phone call. I am sure that you're not used to receiving phone calls from a young woman, asking you to talk her down from the ledge because she just bought plane tickets on her own for the first time. You didn't sign up to step in, but you did, and you did it gladly. When I need you, you're a phone call away, and even though I have never lived in Lee's Summit, I feel at home there. Your role was supposed to be my really-cool uncle, but you have taken on another role that is, dare I say, parental? I haven't done anything so grand in my life as to be lucky enough to be related to you. You and Debbie have brought me in like one of your own, and I am so blessed to have the relationship I do with you. I can only hope it gets better. I miss you everyday that I am not there, and I love you so much. Thank you for being the best birthday present I have ever received, you mean the world to me, all I can do is say thank you,

and share my favorite photo of us:

Happy Birthday Uncle Doug,

There is no one I would rather share one with.