Happy 18th Birthday, Mary Beth

We have a tradition of birthday posts here. It's a tradition my children look forward to every year (and one for which I'm three behind this month, but there's grace...). We also have a slideshow tradition. For big birthdays or when someone is leaving home, there's a slideshow. It involves much sifting and sorting through all photos, mom laughing and crying at the discoveries of memories, and Mary Beth staying up late to pull it all together. 

Today is Mary Beth's birthday.

Someone else stayed up late with all the memories. The same guy who used to walk across the hall from his room to hers and stay up late talking about anything and everything. The brother who is her hero and the standard by which she subconsciously measures all other men. The one who left her without a best friend when he was called up to the National Team at 16 and went to live in Florida.  Her best friend is back in his place of honor again, and their constant banter continues, if from afar. With some help from the forces on the ground here at home, he created his very first Youtube video for his first little sister.

So, Bee, Happy Birthday from Patrick: