"They say time is a thief.
When you’re young, you think there will always be another summer, another birthday, and another Christmas together. School seems to last forever and being home seems so far away which resonates really well with Emily. She didn’t care too much for school. Then suddenly, you blink, and your baby sister is standing in a wedding dress.
Emily and I have always had a special relationship. As sisters, we honestly never really fought growing up.
However, when she was young, around 2 years old she discovered my photo box.
For some reason, I kept all of Emily’s baby pictures on the floor of my closet. And every once in a while, Emily would decide she needed to get into those pictures. Of all the things two sisters could fight about, somehow Emily getting into her own baby pictures was ours. You can only imagine what our mother kept telling me about my decision to keep the pictures on the floor and my stubbornness to keep them there and that Emily needed to learn to not touch what isn’t hers.
It seems so silly now.
Because today, I would give anything to sit down, pull out those pictures, and look through every single one of them with her.
Those pictures captured this little girl I loved so much, but they could never have shown me the woman she would eventually become.
And that’s why I say time is a thief.
Emily, watching you grow into the kind, compassionate, faithful woman you are has been one of the greatest privileges of my life.
There was a time when Emily was struggling to figure out what her passion in life was. I think sometimes we believe our passion has to be a career, a calling, or some big thing we accomplish.
Then someone asked Emily a very simple question:
“What excites you?”
And her answer was Kenrick.
She talked about how much she loved supporting Kenrick in his racing, being there with him, cheering him on, and simply being by his side.
Her passion is loving someone else so well that their dreams became exciting to her, too.
That is Emily.
She finds joy in encouraging the people she loves. She celebrates their victories. She stands beside them. She serves them. And she loves with her whole heart.
And Kenrick, I think one of the reasons the two of you work so beautifully together is because you complement that part of Emily.
You don’t take her heart for granted.
You support her.
You encourage her.
You make her laugh.
You stand beside her just as faithfully as she stands beside you.
And most importantly, you allow Emily to be exactly who God created her to be.
Ecclesiastes says, “Two are better than one, for if either of them falls, one can help the other up.”
That’s my hope for the two of you.
Keep choosing each other.
Keep laughing together.
Keep cheering each other on.
When one of you falls, help the other one up.
When one of you succeeds, celebrate like it was your own victory.
Emily, no matter how much time passes, you’ll always be my little sister.
And while time may be a thief, today I’m incredibly grateful for everything time has allowed me to witness.
Kenrick, thank you for loving my sister so well."
This was my Matron of Honor speech at my baby sister’s wedding this past Friday, September 11th. While Emily is now enjoying her honeymoon cruise, I have slipped back into my day-to-day routine—and, if I’m being honest, I’m finding it a little hard to concentrate.
For months, so much of my mind was consumed with preparing for the bridal shower, the bachelorette and family trip, the wedding rehearsal, and finally, the wedding day itself. I was so focused on making each moment special that I don’t think the reality of having a married baby sister had fully set in.
Now, as I type this email and share a small glimpse of what it has meant to have the honor of being Emily’s big sister, that reality is beginning to settle in. It is a wonderful feeling, but it is also one that takes a little adjusting.
Life has a way of doing that. Sometimes we move through our days believing our bodies will simply keep up with everything we ask of them—that they will endure every busy season, every stress, and every demand we place on them. Then reality reminds us that isn’t always true.
So take care of yourself, and then take care of the people you love. Lean on one another. Be present for the moments that matter. And don’t be surprised when you look back and realize that time really can be a thief.
With love,
Ellen
