17 Years Of "Us"

Some one turned 17 at the Cottage today.

Well two of us did really...

Our first birthday. I'm the one with the cake on my face looking at my momma off camera no doubt telling me to "wait for the picture to be taken" or  "look at the camera" as Brianna prepares to dig in. LOL!

It's always been the two of us. I guess that's how it is when your a twin. One & Two. Briana and Cheyenne. B&C. Always two. Never alone, one always has the others back. A constant team. Even now you rarely see us apart. One always following the others lead. Together we are whole. That's just how it is- how it will always be.

This was after I caught my hair on fire since mom is holding both of our hair back. (I'm on the left and Brianna is on the right.)

I don't know whether to say it as an announcement or a fact. My twin and I turned 17 today. The first thing that comes to mind after that isn't I want my learners permit or only a year until I graduate High School. But where has the time gone? Where? It seems like just yesterday I was feeding the ducks at the lake at my sixth birthday- or was it 5th?

I'm on the left Brianna is on the right.

The other day I was looking at pictures of our birthdays over the years. Each one with its own story... its own disaster, its own perfect memories. Like the year I caught my hair on fire blowing out the candles on the cake with my sister. Or the fact that it almost always rains when we have a party and sometime when we didn't, and as I write this the storm clouds are just beginning to clear and the thunder becomes further and further away as sunshine streams through the front windows. Or the year it rained really really hard and dad had to pull the grill up to the back door so he could cook lunch in the rain. Or the fact we always had our party at two o'clock.

As I looked through the 17 years of photos I had to notice who else was in them... I noticed who was in my life then that wasn't in it now and wonder why? How had knowing them changed me? Influenced me to be who I am today... Thank you. To everyone of you who were in those photos- even to those who left it in a storm that broke my heart. Thank you- you helped make me who I am.

Brianna is on the right and I'm on the left.

I couldn't help but smile at the ones that were still in my life as we grew together... Its weird where life has taken us all. Some to other continents some still are in the house they always have been in but they are all grown up. Some of us have more siblings than when we first met, others have nieces and nephew now. Crazy, It seems like we should still be playing hide-and-seek at night. Or so many other little girl things. Not driving, or working with orphans, not chasing new siblings or holding them and laughing at their giggles as we tickle them...

Where has the time gone?  Why aren't we still on that trail ride for our sixteenth birthday?
This morning as I sat reading my bible as Mrs. Cottage made our traditional birthday breakfast of waffles and bacon. The scents of both mingling with the smell of maple syrup in a heavenly mixture that smells like- like my birthday. Of birthdays gone by. Of laughter and smiles and the occasional birthday candle wax resting on top. The birthday Mr. Cottage was working second shift so we went out for an early lunch and had a girls day shopping. Then ending our birthday at a friends farm as she taught us how to show goats so we could help her at the fair that weekend. So many many good memories. Funny how even the disasters have become good memories.

Happy Birthday to my wonderful, talented, beautiful, partner in crime, best friend, sometimes crazy twin sister.  I love you so much.
 
This is a slide show I put together of my birthday through the years. :)

It Suits Me -

Summer is here and that means pools are finally open. Yay! So what do you wear to go swimming? With all the choices out there (and a lot of them pretty skimpy) it can be hard to find something that meets your modesty standards and your price range. In my family anything that shows off, your stomach is absolutely unacceptable. I'm always so annoyed to find all the cute red & white striped or American flag swimsuits don't meet our families standard (really why don't they make once piece swimsuits out of that fabric?)  :(.  Well anyway here are some of the swimsuits that meet our standards (note these might not meet everyone's standards but these are acceptable in our home).

~Bathing Beauties~

My sister Brianna is wearing a black & White Polka-dot one piece swimsuit. I think we got it at K-mart. While I am wearing my absolutely favorite (rivaling with an adorable black & white polka-dot one I used to have but accidentally got briers in retrieving a ball that had been bounced out of the pool) swimsuit. It's a navy blue almost dark purple with a white sash, I got it at Target a few years ago. The fun sailor hats we got at Walmart to go with the beach theme birthday party we were having.  I love wearing them with this swimsuit because it reminds me of an old fashion sailor suit and my dad was in the Navy, so it just kind of fits. 

I made this one last year because my sister wanted a new swimsuit but couldn't find one she liked so I decided to try my hand at making my own, I started one for me too but haven't finished it yet. I really love how they turned out! 

~To Cover Up Or Not To Cover Up? That Is The Question.~

If you still are more comfortable out of the pool with a  swimsuit cover on, this is super easy and in my opinion really cute. 

The black skirt is actually a swimsuit cover up that is supposed to be a dress (but I like it better as a skirt) we got at Ross last summer. 

The white shirt is a long sleeve button up I found in my grandma's closet (when I was little she would pretty much only wear this kind of shirt so she has a ton). You could probably find one at a Ross or department store. I rolled the sleeves up and knotted the front. The hat was in my mom's closet and I have no idea where she got it, probably Walmart. And I'm not wearing shoes in the photo but a simple pair of flip-flops would do nicely to get you where you're going.

James 4:8 Come near to God and he will come near to you