Stephanie Bloom Miller

Today is my sister's birthday - Happy Birthday Steph! Since this is a blog all about the positive, I can't think of a better place or time to call out Steph for being one the coolest people I know. It also doesn't hurt that she's one of our regular readers, so I know she'll see this.

Bloom. Bloom Miller. Miller. Mamabird. Whatever you prefer these days. You're an awesome chick. You've always been your own person, and you the older you get the more you distinguish yourself. No matter what role you take on in life, you take it on with gusto and passion, and claim it wholeheartedly as your own. As a hipster in high school and college, you embodied the image without being a caricature. As a waitress you were loved, as the bottles of Dom Perignon gifted by grateful customers attest. You seem to know as much, if not more, than most dental surgeons, without a day of schooling. You're a photographer, a gardener and a pet therapist, all claimed with equal vigor. As a sister, you're devoted and thoughtful, and I can say with no reservations that once you formally step into the role of "Mommy" you'll do a smashing job.

I've had the pleasure of knowing you your whole life, and most of mine. I've seen some pretty poor examples of sibling relationships over the years, and I'm pretty blessed to have been able to grow up with you as a friend. I'm quite sure I wouldn't be half the person I am today if I hadn't had you around. I have friends that grew up as only children, and I'm glad that wasn't something I had to face. Having a sibling around helped kill boredom and turned everyday into a play date. I can't imagine having grown up any other way. And of all the 29,000,000,000,000 alternate genetic combinations Mom and Dad could have scrambled out back in 1977, none could have been better than you.

Happy Birthday Steph. I'm glad to be your brother, and I'm glad that I can make you "Positive Thing Number 101." Love you.

Nine day tills Babybird rocks the mic.