Proud Big Sister

Do you remember the tedious process of college applications? Slaving over the essays- editing and reediting countless times. Finally turning it in and having to wait for months to find out. Checking the email or the mail every day wondering if today is the day. Finally getting the email after so much anticipation. I thought I was anxious when I was waiting to find out about my acceptance to BYU 2 years ago. But waiting to hear about Taylor was even worse. Every day in between breakfast and Old Testament I would run to check my email to see if he had found out. I wondered every morning if today would be the day.
Yesterday I woke up and told Kaitlin that I thought today was the day- but I went to check my email and didn't find anything. I was starting to get annoyed with BYU for making me...I mean Taylor... wait for so long to find out. Then this morning (which is yesterday night for my family) I got the email from Taylor. My little brother was accepted to BYU! I feel like such a proud big sister. Taylor came to Utah to visit me for a weekend in my freshman year and we had so much fun. He was thoroughly convinced that BYU is the school for him when he saw the endless amounts of food at the Cannon Center.

I am so excited to have Taylor at BYU with me next year. He knows how to push my buttons better than anyone else. We argue like any brother and sister would. But he is also one of my closest friends. I feel so lucky to have a brother like Taylor. I remember getting so frustrated when he would take the math class I had struggled with two years earlier and say it was "too easy". He excels in school with ease. He is so dedicated to being healthy and staying in shape. He has such a great sense of humor. He loves the gospel and has been an example to me countless times. He'll stay up late talking to me when I come home from school. He lets me drive his truck every once in a while. He goes with me to the grocery store so I don't have to go alone. He notices when I try to take the change out of his truck. He tells me what kind of guy to date. He constantly asks why I'm not married yet so I can have kids before he leaves on his mission (not going to happen). He wants me to get to know his friends and hang out with them when they come over.
One of my fondest memories of Taylor is after I had just gone through a difficult break up. He just sat with me in my room while I cried. I was up for a lot of the night and he didn't leave until I was almost asleep. He just sat there and tried to cheer me up, tried to find something to say. That experience showed me that my little brother loves me and cares about me and what a compassionate person he is. I could see that he hated seeing me upset and wanted to help me feel better. I love my not so little brother.
Congratulations Taylor! I'm proud of you and so excited to have you with me at school next year before your mission- but mostly I'm just excited for free meals at the Cannon Center...