Happy Birthday Kent

Dear Kent,

Of all the family that I hold near and dear, you may just be the nearest and dearest (but don't tell anyone).

I remember the first time I met you. I was giving you and your friends a ride home from school. I was mooooooorrrrreeeee than happy to give you a ride since I had a secret, mad crush on your older brother. (That was before I met Alan). Just kidding! It was Alan I had the crush on.

Anyway, back to YOU, since YOU are the birthday boy and the object of our affection today.

I know you've heard this a million times from everyone you know, but you were so nice and kind. You were actually the nicest, kindest person I had ever met. Even my gigi and papa thought you were the nicest and kindest person they had ever met.

I've adored you from the start and we have more than a million memories together. I'll never forget your mission homecoming, how you sat on the stand just smiling. I thought you were going to be translated right then and there. And then there was Hawaii and all the hours at the beach together and at TVA together arguing about whether or not time and space existed. And remember our trip to D.C. and Niagra falls, and camping in Palmyra, and how we almost died together at Gettysburg, and Cooperstown, how we couldn't decide who would get the better room at the bed and breakfast so we decided to camp instead. And then there were our New York years together. Les Mis, Miss Saigon . . . I'm getting verclempt. Remember when you and Stacey were on David Letterman? And remember Thanksgiving and the Macy's day parade with Tatum tucked up in Alan's coat, and how Stacey threw the Turkey in your face because you're so selfish. (ha ha) That was so funny.

And remember your hallway from hell at Columbia? And all of our trips crammed in the car to Maryland with Tatum screaming at the top of her lungs the whole way. And how we used to feed her lemons and laugh. And how we loved to scare her with that shark pop out book until she'd cry. And remember the Zoo at Central Park when we couldn't get Tatum to look at the seals and we laughed until you peed your pants? (Or was that me?) And remember Carnegie Deli when you ate way tooooooo many pickles and almost didn't make it home.

And remember our camping trip to Rhode Island and that enormous lightening storm and our tent got flooded and you were holding an umbrella over the fires and you got struck by lightening and spent 3 weeks in the hospital . . . Okay, that never happened, but you did throw your back out an Alan got stung by a bee and I was 8 months pregnant. And remember how we crammed the car full of our stuff and we had to tie you to the roof in horizontal position as we drove around Rhode Island in the middle of the night looking for a hotel, but there were none because there was a Dunkin Doughnuts convention. And we discovered all 932 Dunkin freakin Doughnuts in that state. And we also discovered that every person in Rhode Island looks exactly alike. Remember how sure we were that we were being punked, or in the Twilight Zone. (note: I sat by a guy from Rhode Island on my way to D.C. last summer and, surprise, his son worked at Dunkin Doughnuts). And remember how I could kick your bootie at tennis, even when I was 13 months pregnant? That was awesome!

And remember Chris Farley . . . I miss that guy!

My kids adore you too. You are their favorite uncle, (but, again, keep that on the down low). They always talk about Uncle Kent. You always make it a point to make them feel special and you go out of your way to have fun with them. They still talk about the Penny Arcade and the Purple Turtle and how you told Garrett he had an elephant in his butt. And now they talk about Ash and Rock Band and Taylor.

You've been a great friend for years. I know I can tell you anything and everything (and I have) and you'll understand. I love that about you. But then there is so much to love about you. You're talented, insightful, artistic, funny, smart, generous . . . should I go on? Cause my eyes are sweating again. (It's hot over here.)

Happy Birthday, bud!
LOVE YOU MUCH!
Deb