"My name does not rhyme with Banana!"

This beautiful girl is Shannon:

Or as we like to call her, Shannon Bananan (partially because it annoys her that everyone seems to think her name rhymes with "banana.").

Now that I'm done with finals, I can do her birthday post!  (Sorry I'm a few days late, Shanny!)

I'm not really even sure where to start.  Shannon's just awesome!  I'm in more of a list mood than a novel-long-paragraphs mood today, so in honor of her 26th birthday, I'll write 26 of my most favorite things about Shannon (in no particular order)!

1.  She taught me how to read.  Okay, okay, I already knew how to read.  But she taught be how to read out loud and be confident in it.  She made me read the scriptures to her every night when we shared a room growing up.  I think we both hated it at first because I was such a slow reader, but she never gave up and made me keep going.  So yes, I am going to claim the position as the first of many children that Shannon has taught to read.

2.  She hugs me even though she doesn't really like hugs.  It doesn't happen all the time, but when she knows I need it or it is important to me, she is willing to hug me.  And she doesn't even try to pull back super fast...most of the time.

3.  She is an extraordinary teacher.  She loves her job and her students so much.  She is always willing to go above and beyond the call of duty to help to make the lives of the ones she teaches better.  This past year was exhausting for her, but she never gave up on her students and they have all come such a long way.

4.  She is super in tune with the spirit.  I would never have met the people I've met or done some of the things I've done without that.  It makes life hard for her at times, but she always does what she knows is right.

5.  Her dimple.  It's so great.  I especially love it when she gets all bashful and looks down while her dimple tells you just how pleased she is.

6.  The fact that she still thinks so many things are gross.  Like little (and often times not so little) boys.  And sometimes little girls (who shall remain nameless).  Some of the best stories come from the confusion caused when she refuses to say gross words.  

7.  She has rhythm but is not a dancer.  One of my all-time favorite videos of Shannon is one from the year before I came to Provo and all of them are dancing to a rap song and trying to be gangster.  Sorry, Shan, but you are no gangster!

8.  She has a beautiful voice.  She always has.  And she is the one who inspired both Leesh and I to sing, for which I will be forever grateful.

9.  She works super hard.  She basically worked two jobs the entire time we lived together in Provo and still managed to always get things done.

10.  She laughs with me, even if what happened isn't funny.  She always makes fun of me for my inability to tell stories when I'm laughing.  I swear it happens ten times as often when I'm around her than anyone else.

11.  She shakes uncontrollably when she laughs.  Even if you can't hear her laughing, you can always feel it.

12.  She has always been my friend, not just my sister.  Even in high school when it is way cooler to hang out with just your friends, Shannon included me a lot.  She has been there for me in a way that no one else was in college too, because she knew me so well that she didn't even have to ask to know what was wrong. 

13.  She has had some bad past boyfriends.  It sounds weird that I like that, but it has provided me with many learning experiences.  And lots of fun plotting what we could do to the poor unfortunate souls who didn't treat her right.

14.  She tends to date attractive boys with ugly names.  It's just funny.

15. I love the summer before she left on her mission.  Us three sisters spent SO much time together that summer.  We made so many great memories tending the twins, eating scones and fries at Dairy Queen, going to rehearsal, and staying up late talking and laughing for hours.

16.  She loves missions and missionaries.  You will never find a better ally or better advice for a mission than her.

17.  She's a sucker for little kids.  She just loves playing with them and is WAY more patient with them than the rest of us.  Needless to say, she picked the right career.

18.  She's very intelligent.  She also uses the most proper and uncommon words of anyone I know without sounding pretentious.   

19.  She loves to talk.  I love our phone chats, even if they are infrequent at times because of our busy lives.

20.  She gets shocked every time goes to Wal-mart (and yes, I was writing this while talking to you on the phone, Shan!).

21.  She's delightful to go on road trips with.  And she gets really giddy about half-way through.

22.  She's willing to be goofy with the rest of us when we need her to be, even though most of the time she is WAY too mature for our antics. 

23.  Whenever we sleep in the same room, neither of us can fall asleep without saying "Night Joy, I love you!" and "Night Shanny, I love you!"  It's our ritual.

24.  Most of the time she can't last sleeping in the same bed with anyone else.  Okay, mostly just me and Alicia.  Although, she has gotten significantly better at it the last year or so. 

25.  She is stubborn.  Super-duper stubborn.  I love that no one can push her around.  And that she'll defend her position no matter who or what comes against her. 

26.  She's my big sister.  And she's everything to me that a big sister should be.  She understands, is supportive, and is super loyal.  When I came home and told Shannon I was going to have surgery on my knees, she hugged me and told me how happy she was for me.  Everyone else would think that was weird, but she knew that was exactly what I needed and that really, it was a good thing.  I don't know why, but that is one "sisterly" moment that I will always love and never forget.

Happy Belated Birthday, Shanny!  I love you more than you know!