Ode To Mindy

I'm warning you, this won't be great,

But here we are on your birth date.

A tribute, they asked, and so I said

I wonder if you were dropped on your head

There must be something about the color red

I remember, we shared a bed (room).

Sometimes you let me borrow your clothes.

I always made sure I spilled on those.

I can't remember when we were young,

My memory is much like dung.

I remember we were good friends.

Something something mumble backbends.

Phone calls and e-mails would always extend.

We talked many times most every day,

I don't think we listened to much reggae.

One time you came to stay with me,

I had just had a wee baby.

It was nice to get more sleep

If I hadn't, I'd probably weep.

You were so nice, that you sewed

A carrier for my little toad.

And also a beautiful quilt for my bed

I sleep there with my man, Meathead.

That's not really his name, but there's come a time

I'm finding it is hard to rhyme.

You are my sister and that's a fact,

Sometimes I get a little sidetracked.

I hope you have a great birthday.

And that's about all I have to say.

To Mindy

So, happy birthday and everything.  I hope you have a great day.  I'll just share some memories and thoughts.  I hope you enjoy them.

You were very bossy when we were young.  You really wanted to be in charge of everything.  I didn't really like people being in charge of me.  We had some good fights. 

I remember the last few months before you left for college I think.  We got to spend more time together than usual.  I remember going to Sconecutter and hanging out.  I also remember going to a movie and doing a retard run down the aisle.  I remember that I considered you my best friend then.  I wish we had the chance to spend more time together like that.

It was lots of fun for me to come up to visit you at college.  Me and Marshall would try to make it up there in under an hour.  I remember one time we (me and Marshall) rented all of the Friday the 13th movies and got some Nodoz so we could stay up and watch them all.  I think you pretty much stayed out of our way on that trip.

It was nice for me, when I went up to Utah State, that you were there too.  You really included me as much as you could.  You let me hang out with your friends and be part of your group.  That meant a lot to me.  I had no idea how to be on my own, and I wasn't very good at meeting new people.  I still regret coming home after two weeks for a stupid girl.  I wanted to be up there at college.  I think it would have been really good for me.  Obviously I wasn't ready for it though.  I remember when you first met Brandon up there.  He lived right across the sidewalk from me.

I always enjoy coming to visit you.  You have always made me feel welcome in your homes.  You always cook good food, and try to make time to spend with me.  I wish that you lived closer so we could see you more.

Here are a few things that I like about you:

• You like to talk to me (or you're very good at pretending).  Most people don't enjoy talking to me very much.  They just get a glazed look in their eyes when I try to talk to them.  It's really nice to have someone that I can ramble on about things and over-analyze with.
• You try very hard to be kind to everyone.
• You are willing to stand up for what you think is right, even if it's not easy.
• You're always up for doing something fun.

Here are a couple of things that I don't like about you:

• You're too popular.  It's like you have a herd of sheep following your every word.  I feel like I have to try to be a sheep too, and I don't want to be a sheep.
• You live too far away.

Well, I guess that's probably enough.  I love you and I'm glad you're my sister.

Jason

To the Mindy

Hey I was going to post a picture of you like other peoples did but since its your birthday i won't put that really good picture of you up that i have. I know its not your favorite, so for your birthday you don't have to look at it.

Its a little bit weird with you so much older than me i remember more about you being moved out and married than i do of you living at home with the rest of us. I do remember you always doing stuff with me and including me in your life even though you were a rotten teenager and probably had other things to do than include your silly little brother.

Thanks for letting me come visit you at your house when you were older and married and had a house. I remember always being able to come over when i needed to talk to someone or just go somewhere to have fun.

I'm glad you are my big sister and have been a good example for me while i was growing up. I think you are doing a great job with life and stuff and family and stuff. Hope you have a really happy birthday, and let me know if you ever need anything. I love you very much Mindy.

Happy Birthday Mindy!!!!

It's your birthday!

One of my favorite memories that I have is when I was so excited for Christmas to come that I couldn't settle down.  I sneaked out of my room and came down the hall to your room where we could be excited together.  We sat around and played games and talked.  You were so much fun to be around.  Before I got too big, you could swing me around.  It was almost as good as any ride at Lagoon.

I remember for my birthday one year, you made a cassette tape for me that had a lot of cool songs.  I was so happy to get a special personalized tape just for me that I listened to it all the time.  Some mornings I would wake up early and hear you practicing your violin.  I would get up and sit by the furnace closet or on the heat vent right outside the music room where you were practicing so I could hear you play and keep warm.  If you and everyone else hadn't played the violin, I don't think I would have.  Now it's great to have that talent and sometimes get to play all together.

It was also fun when you would have me and Geoff help you ask or answer somebody to a dance.  I can't remember exactly what you had us do, but we did a secret covert mission to sing a song at some guys door or to drop something off.  It was cool that let us be a part of your life.  There was one time when your seminary during Junior High did an activity where they set up the rooms to go through Christ's life.  You invited the family to come and see it.  I remember that there was one room where they talked about the Garden of Gethsemane.  They had a lot of plants and stuff in there and I remember them bearing testimony of Christ.  Even though I was little, it was a great experience.

When you went away to college, I was excited to go too.  I wanted to skip everything else and go to college too.  It was always fun to plan trips during the summer to come and stay at your house for a couple of days.  You always had fun things planned, like easter egg hunts, milking cows, and trips to the penny candy store.  I remember that we made up a code language that we could use to write letters to each other.  I think we only used it once because it was hard and took a lot of time to do, but you were always willing to do fun things.

Now I still look up to you as a great example.  It is always fun to visit with you and I value your advice and your opinion.  I'm glad that you are my sister.

Love, Adam

Happy Birthday, Mindy

Happy Birthday, Mindy! You are a wonderful daughter and friend. What a precious little baby you were, with your rosebud mouth and lots of dark hair. I could just stare at you for hours, and never get tired of it. You were a good baby, and a wonderful little girl.
Even when you were small you tried to be tough, but always had a soft heart One day you and Jason got balloons at the doctor's office. In the parking lot, Jason's broke, and he started to cry. You exclaimed, "You are not getting my balloon. It's mine, and you're not going to have it"
Then Jason sobbed, "Mindy, my balloon popped." Immediately you replied, "You can have mine." You have always been generous and giving.
It was fun to take you shopping or to Arby's when you were a teenager. We would try things on, saying, "I hope it doesn't fit or we might have to buy it." Usually we didn't spend any money. But we did have alot of fun.
You were always a good example to your younger brothers and sister. You did well in school and excelled on the violin. You had good friends with whom you often sang for many programs. You were on the Seminary Council, and even gave a talk in Stake Conference. We have always been proud of you. I am thankful to have you for my daughter. Thanks for being mine.
Love, Mom


Happy Birthday, Mindy, I was thinking the other day as I went out to get the paper about when I delivered the paper for a little while years ago. I sure appreciate your willingness to help me even though it was very early in the morning.
One of the hardest things I had to do was when I took you to college that first year. We helped you get settled and went shopping for a few items, then it was time for us to leave and it was so hard for me to leave my little girl. I knew that you were ready to be on your own but I sure wasn't ready to let you go.
You are a wonderful daughter and I am go glad that I have gotten to know you and that you are not only my daughter but my friend.
Love, Dad