I simply remember my favorite things.

Today was Bella's birthday party, which my mom and I obviously took way to seriously, spending hours making cutesy banners and crowns. 

The piñata was nearly impossible to break and took a few strong men a few tries to spill the candy all over the front porch. But of course we don't regret buying the giant, sturdy, absurd Little Mermaid Piñata at the Mexican Market, because it definitely made for a few good laughs and more than a few classic pictures.

She got her first bike and automatically started writing like a pro. This fact disproved my theory that I was secretly adopted; she is definitely my sister. 

Despite the WEATHER,

I woke up in a wonderful mood today, and I think I'll share my cheesy thoughts with you, if you don't mind. I woke up and began to pray and felt this overwhelming sense of gratitude for these strangers that I call my family. They are my life. We're odd and eccentric. My mom squeels when she gets excited and my dad starts a new business about every 3 weeks. My sister is sarcastic(all in good fun), short, and makes me want to grow up and live. My brother is strong. He is geeky and slightly weird....and does a mean Indian accent. Me, I'm sort of still figuring that out. Little Ethan is a genuine genius. He is loving and loud and will definitely be a millionaire one day. Annabella is full of spunk and personality. She has the power to change the world.

And somehow we all fit together perfectly.

it's all one story.

This Is Lilly

Lilly walks out of her house, like any other day, but she has no idea.

A taxi driver is getting coffee in Starbucks when a man who was late for a meeting, because his wife had been in a bad mood due to a cold she had gotten from her sister, ran into his shoulder, and his coffee went all over the floor. After ordering a new coffee and waiting for it he gets in his cab and picks up a man coming out of the post office because he forgot to mail an important bill that needed to be there the next day or else a $75 fee would apply.The man tells the taxi driver to take him home, and asks him to hurry because his five year old slipped on the ice and broke his leg.

They drive down the busy street and the driver turns down a small road. The road his ex girlfriend showed him as a shortcut to get downtown. The man looks out the window to see a small girl, sitting alone on the curb. He asks the driver to stop. The driver, listening to the news on the radio especially loud because of an intriguing murder that happened the night before, doesn't hear him. The man asks him again, tapping his shoulder this time. The driver stops and the man gets out to help the little girl, (who it turns out fell and twisted her ankle) reach her mother. 

Lilly walks out of her house. Her little house on a hidden road. She opens the door to her car, pulls out her keys, and feels a gun barrel placed on her back. The young man tells her to get in the trunk. She screams, helplessly, but the lonely road seems silent. The man hits her with the butt of the gun. Lilly is unconciouce.

He just said goodbye to the little girl and her mother when the man hears the scream. He runs toward the sound in time to see Lilly being shut into the trunk. Acting on impulse, he tackles the  young man, who had put down the gun, thinking no one was around. They struggle and finally it seems the criminal has won. He reaches for his gun, but finds it gone.

Click. 

The driver cocks the gun and holds it against the young man's head. He puts his hands up and surrenders. 

Lilly hears the trunk unlock, even in her sleep, and is lifted out of the car and soon placed in an ambulence.

so much for like any other day.

We all play so many parts that we could never imagine.

If The man whose wife had a cold hadn't been late

If he watched where he was going instead of running into the taxi driver

If the man had remembered to mail his bill on time.

If his five year old hadn't slipped, so the driver didn't feel the need to hurry

If the driver hadn't ever met his grilfriend

If the girl hadn't twisted her ankle

If the man had ignored her

If the driver had stopped the first time

If the murder never occured

If there had been a 5 second difference.

Then Lilly would be dead.

Don't underestimate yourself, your influence, and your good deeds. They don't go unnonoticed, people are just too selfish and shy to say thank you. it doesn't mean they aren't grateful.

Merry Christmas.

Love,

Lilly