Last night, I talked to my sisters, Hannah and Audrey, to hear about Audrey's high school graduation which I was unable to attend. Hannah was telling me that after the graduation, the whole family went out for ice cream to celebrate. They went to Marble Slab, which has great ice cream, but which is always freezing cold inside, so they moved to a bench outside the store to eat the ice cream and talk over the graduation ceremony.

At some point there was a lull in the conversation and my mom said she was sad that everyone in the family, in terms of Rice siblings, was there except for me. Everyone agreed, probably mostly to humor me even in my absence, because I am still their big sister and they are afraid of me. Everyone, that is, except for my brother Ryan, who, according to Hannah, said "That's funny. I was actually just thinking it's a good thing she's not here, because we all barely fit on this bench."

Thanks, Rynie. I miss you, too. And believe me, if I were there, with my large pregnant self, not only would I make you stand up so I could sit on the bench, I would make you use your giant Marine muscles to go back in the store and get me more ice cream.