Baby Sister, All Grown Up.

My baby sister is growing up. 

growing up? - what?

But she's only like 8. 

Wrong, Christella turned 16 today. 

16?!

But she was just born?

HAPPY 16TH BIRTHDAY BABY SISTER!

 *Favorite Memories with Cassie*

1. That time me, you, and Aleksi were home alone, watching some scary movie, and you turned to the door and GASPED really loud. Aleksi and I were really afraid to look at the door so we turned away and just stared at each other - and then when we did look, you were only scared because there was a frog on the window.

2. When I taught you how to ride a bike - in the apartment.

3. Going to Kados and Coral Cove this summer, snorkeling, and singing in the caves [ahaha I miss that]

 

4. The time you jabbed my side when we were in church and I made the "EIMPH" sound kind of loud and mom gave us a look. 

5. Making up alibis when were were late to school for the Attendance Lady ["our dog ran away" - "my sister just had a baby, we were at the hospital" and my personal favorite, "I had diarrhea"]

6. Cheering for each other on the Cross Country Team.

 7. [most favorite] Me and Cassie driving in the car with the stereo blasting our Glee songs, singing the duets at the top of our lungs - nevermind - singing everything at the top of lungs. I would drive slow just so those moments would last a little longer. 

I love you Cassie.

Thank you:
1. For being the BEST younger sister I've ever had. [Besides Chensey]
2. Letting me take millions upon millions of photos of you.
3. For always putting family first.

We joke in our family that the "bad" genes were evenly distributed between me, Aleksi, and Mitchell and that Cassie didn't get any of them.
She literally got all of the good Poirier genes.

She's basically a model.

16 Things Cassie Likes:

1. To tell people her name is Christella.

2. Singing Glee [and she is good - better than me - and that's saying something]

3. To tell people her name is Cassandra.

4.Only letting MacGraw in her room.

5. Getting her way. 

6. Break Dancing.

7. Skipping school.

8. Spoiling Bentley. 

9. Abusing Chesney

10. To tell people that "Cassie" is short for some weird - unused name. 

11.  Baking cookies - [she likes the money she makes...]

12. Her newly painted room

13. The beach

14. Her Siblings [BFFs Forever! Go Family.]

15. Skipping school [she does it so often I thought it deserved two spots on the list]

16. Having a whole day to celebrate herself.

I can't believe how fast time has gone by. 

I feel like it was just yesterday that we were living in Ft. Lauderdale, swimming in the back yard, making up games, and enjoying our childhood. 

Now Aleksi moved away? Mitchell is on his mission? I'm in College?

and Cassie's sixteen?
What?!

 

 

It's like those days you always thought about as kids - but never imagined would actually happen - are right here in each of our faces. It's really sad, but I think it's brought all of us closer together.

For me, my siblings have always been my most trusted and closest friends, and though life has sadly separated us for time - this will never change.

I love you family. 

Happy Birthday Cassie!

forever. 

and life goes on.

Mitchell's been gone almost half a week. 

It's still unreal to me. 

This [half] week I've:

1. Reached for my phone seven times to text him something funny that happened to me.

2.  Wrote him a letter, even though I don't have an address yet.

3.  and wished he was still here. 

but life goes on.  

Also this week:

1. I've gotten my best - and also my worst - grade on my psych quizzes. 

I just can't ever win.

That class ceases to upset me. 

I'm convinced my teacher is the Principal in the movie Matilda. 

Yes, I have Principal Truchbull as a teacher.

and it is AWFUL. 

not only does she look exactly like her, she acts exactly like her too.

New goal = sneak a photo of the Truchbull.

2. On the way back from class my friend Sean said to me

"Oh yeah, I want to show you something"

It was a dead bird.
cool Sean. 

[random I know]

So I picked it up. 

He must have thought I was going to throw it on him or something because 

he started to run away. 

I just thought I should move it off the side walk so it didn't get run over by some idiot on their bike.

oh well. 

[I washed my hands - don't have a cow]

3. I was eating dinner at Broward Dining 

[yum, dinner's good right? ---- wrong.]

I found a hair in my pizza.

[This is now the second time - so gross]

 but unlike last time...

I kept eating.

I was just so hungry and there was no more pizza left.

I mean, I ate around it, so it's ok. 

right?

I made this photoshop this week
and this is the response I got:

Aleksi: Did you paint any of that?
Me: ahaha no. one day, i want to though.
Chris: what about the little pink guy did you put him in there?
Me: i don't even know if that's a serious question?! ahah. yes?
does it look like he was really there.
I think you're right, i've seen little pink guys walking around campus too.
Chris: I hate you.

Lesson learned this week:

How to Sharpen the Saw.

It's not about working harder, it's about changing the way you go about working. 

[thanks mom]

Elder Mitchell Poirier

I don't think I've cried more than I have this week. 

My brother is leaving on a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on Wednesday. As much as I am really excited for him, I am really [really] depressed that I won't be seeing him for the next three years.
I can't even describe whats going on in my mind right now.
It just doesn't seem real?
Two years, two whole years.
It's hard to swallow.

This weekend I came home for the first time since I was sent away
and man-o-man it felt so good.
I miss sleeping in my bed, using my own bathroom, petting slash kissing Chesney whenever I want, talking [in human form] to my siblings, and everything else about my house life.

Possibly the best dog ever.

It seems like my family has moved right along without me.
since I've been gone they bought:

[a new sink faucet for my bathroom]

New door handles on three of our doors.
and a new paper towel holder.

I just didn't expect them to move on so fast.

The ride from Gainesville didn't feel too bad [because we had 4 cds full of glee songs]
Me, Alexa, Chris and Kate sang the entire way home - and we ALL enjoyed it, no matter how much they try and deny it.

Saturday was spent scrubbing, cleaning, vacuuming and baking for Mitchell's farewell party. 
All. Day.

every room. every dresser. every window sill.
cleaned.

Farewell time: 6:30
Honoree: Mitchell Poirier
Destination: Guadalajara, Mexico
Will be missed by: Everyone

We had a Full House [just like DJ, Stephanie, and Michelle]. It was awesome to see all the people that support and love Mitchell.

Friends and Family
and more friends
and more family.
We're all excited for Mitchell, we know he's going to make a great missionary.

There were so many people who came.
But there was one person missing and her absence did not go unnoticed.
We wish Aleksi could've been there to celebrate with us.
But it all works out because when Mitchell flies out to Utah for the Missionary Training Center, Aleksi will pick him up and they'll be able to spend a few hours together before he has to go.

I was once talking to a guy [with Cynthia] who had been to the Guadalajara, Mexico Mission and he said it was the best mission to go on because:
1. The people are always friendly
2. The food is delicious
3. It's foreign
4. You learn spanish, which can be applied later in life.

Most memorable times with Mitchell:
1. the time we lived in Penbroke Pines and it was past dinner time and our behind-the-house-neighbors asked us if we wanted to come over and swim. You told me to run inside and ask mom. I pretended to - came back out, and told you she said we could. We went over and then when mom found us - I got in so much trouble and you didn't get in trouble at all.

"Summer of '09 when he came and rescued me. I was soooo sick with morning sickness and he came up for a week. He completely entertained the kids and I helped me out so much. He will never know how grateful I am for that week.
I will also never forget, and I don't think Emree and Rett will ever forget, the visits this past summer. Playing Harry Potter in the rain at the Munns' Pool and on our beach vacation will be one of the coolest games of their childhood."
-Eva

2. When we were leaving Penbroke Pines and Eric Welter gave us all of his Pokemon cards - sitting on the bench on the front porch looking at them all.

3. In the apartment, when we would catch those orange bugs - rip their wings off [so they couldn't escape], play with them for a bit, and then throw them in ant piles.

4. Sims
[obsessing over, fighting over, describing our "family trees"]

"Mitchell is obedient. I don't ever really remember having to ever punish him. My favorite memory is of him and Max dressing as Power Rangers and thinking they were going to save the world from the bad guys. Mitch was the Blue Ranger and Max was the Red."
-Mom

"i like how he is a good caricature drawer... he was allways drawing in Anthoropology and made really good impersonations through drawing of everyone in the class"
-Chris

5. In high school:
Dr. Fitz
NHS
IB
Mrs. Bailey [favorite]
stressing - a lot

"Pie. I really enjoy how one time Reagan came to Gainesville and the three of us (Reagan, Mitchell, and myself) sat outside on top of a picnic table talking for hours."
-Joanna

"I have to say throwing pudding at the tree together and then painting our portraits together. That was the first one that came to mind. And my favorite attribute of his is his sense of humor, just in general."
- Kate

Sunday was by far the hardest day.
Mitchell and my parents all spoke in church.
I was able to contain myself up until the end of Mitchell's talk,
he just started saying how much he loved his siblings and friends and family
I was a goner - and it was like a chain reaction.
Dad, then Cassie, then Kate, then Kelly, then Courtney, then Eva, then Reagan, and then I think I saw a single tear leave my moms left eye - I mean I wear glasses, so I'm pretty sure I know what I saw.

I couldn't stop - I would see Cassie crying and then my eyes would tear up all over again - and I would just think - two years? - and how this summer was my last time with my siblings for a long time.

a really [really] long time.

We came home from church, had lunch, and enjoyed our last moments at home, together.
I love my family.

"ONE of my favorite memories is Mitchell's first semester at UF, the only semester he and I had together, he became my best friend, and we got to know each other better, depend and support each other. Another thing I love is all the games we made up as kids, like we would wear moms silk robes and pretend we were butterflies and run around the house or pretend we had magic powers or like we would play mermaids in the pool - obviously he did everything I wanted"
-Aleksi

and we even had time for a photoshoot.
Introducing: Rita Pita!

She is such a sweet baby and an awesome model.

[but so is chesney]

gosh I love that face.

Mitchell, we are all SO excited for you to go to Mexico,
we know you will have so much fun and you will be blessed for your service.
I love you so much.
You're my brother, my best friend, and my hero.
I look up to you more than you know.
thank you for doing what you do.
Buenas Suerte Hermano!
Te Quiero!
In the words of Dumbledore, "it is our choices that show who we truly are, far more than our abilities."

 
'Til we meet again.