1. "Your brutal honesty is appreciated more than you know."

Oftentimes, people feel intimidated by me and never know how to tell me what they TRULY think, but not you. You never fail to tell me when I am wrong and you never tell me when I am right, probably because I rarely am. Somehow, you are always right and have the ability to make me see that I DON’T know it all.

2. "You're a warrior."

Seriously, you are. So many people lose themselves in marriage, raising kids or in life itself, but you always hold your own. You have never lost who you are, nor are you ever embarrassed to be yourself, even if that means being a big nerd. I admire that you love yourself enough to care about things that are important to YOU no matter what happens in life.

3. "You're the best mom."

Thank god, because you are raising my niece and nephew. But seriously, there is no doubt in anyone’s mind that you would go to the ends of the Earth to make your kids smile. You teach them patiently, love them unconditionally and take them to Disney once per month. I mean, every child must wish that you were their mom. Most of all, you sacrifice yourself in order to better the lives of your children and I thank you for raising my niece and nephew so beautifully.

4. "Thank you for being the BEST big sister."

I know that our sisterly relationship is far from perfect, but you truly are the best. You never fail to give me the best advice and without ever actually saying the words, I know that I am welcome to come to you whenever I’m in need. Thank you for always letting me know you’re on my side.

5. "I love you."

I don’t only love you because we share the same bloodline, I love you because you’re a genuinely kind person. You’re one of those people that you don’t come across often in life, but when you do come across that kind of person, you know you’ve met someone special. You’re one of those people that takes pride in gifting someone the perfect, personal present. You’re one of those people that is selflessly there for their friends at the drop of a hat, expecting nothing in return. You are the kind of person that I strive to be one day and I love you for inspiring me to be better.

When it comes to family, we sometimes forget how blessed we are to be related to such amazing people. So, big sister, I want you to know: that even though I may not say these things enough, I think them every time I think of you.

Thank you for being my big sister.