Happy Birthday to My Sweet Sister-in-Law!!!

Today I would like to wish my sister-in-law Joanne a very happy birthday!! (Yes, my little sis and my sister-in-law have birthdays exactly one week apart! And their names are almost the same, too--how cool is that? :)) Anyway . . . Joanne married Jim's younger brother about a year and a half after Jim and I got married, and it was pretty nice for both me and my mother-in-law to welcome another girl into the family! Over the years she has become a wonderful friend; sometimes I feel like she is really my sister and not just an "in-law." :) We only get to see each other about once a year on our annual trek to Ohio, but we always have lots of fun together . . . shopping, visiting, etc.

She is also an encourager, and an inspiration to me in many ways. We share a lot of favorite recipes with each other. :) We are both bookworms and like a lot of the same books, or kinds of books. She is also a few years ahead of me in the homeschooling journey, so I appreciate her input, curriculum suggestions, and encouragement in that regard, too. And she also has a very cool Aussie accent. :) I'm glad God put us into the same family by marriage; it's wonderful to have a sister-in-law who is truly a kindred spirit. Happy Birthday, Joanne! Hope you have a wonderful day!