Well, we are certainly NOT the Mowry sisters!

Upon a mild and milky May morning 24-years-ago today, a little girl was born unto a Rodeo Queen. The year was 1985 - a great year for births - and with President Reagan starting his second term in office, it was also a great year for celebrities to save Africa, Commodor Amiga Personal Computers and for Australia to finally get AM Radio (Amen)!

The little girl grew, as the lucky little girls do, and without noticing a change or dizzy dazzling difference she was in the second grade. This year was more significant than most due to the company she would keep, and as she ran barefoot and twirling through a field of daises down to the creek, she suddenly paused. A summery breeze rushed around her as she thought what she thunk, a sixth sense one may call it, or a wish list or a galloping skunk. For little did a different little girl know at the time, that as her father drove her home from her first summer camping away, that their stars were about to combine. And like a butterfly in the sky, one that can go twice as high, a tender heart would at first break, but like the thunderous sound of a million mustangs, the hearts would heal and mend and eventually the two little girls would become the greatest of friends .

"How was camp," the father spoke.

"It was cool," said the second little girl with a second little girl choke.

"Honey, I have something to tell you and I know you won't be happy. I sold your horse today and please let us not get sappy."

"What," the second little girl mummbeled over hot breath and tears. She couldn't believe it - this was her worst fear!

"But don't you worry," the father spoke trying to redeem himself. "The Rodeo Queen and little girl and her brother are going to keep it at our house. You can ride him when you want - so don't you be mean!"

And that was that. Life had changed in the largest of large ways - just as it had for slaves and southern tenant farmers and carpet baggers as Eli Whitney introduced the Cotton Gin and cotton picking suddenly became 'in.'

For years, summers and springs and falls were spent playing together. Riding on the bareback of a mighty bay while drinking Dr. Pepper and chewing on hay. Life was grand and the air was fresh until the evilest of evils caused quite a mess. The second little girl's father was married to a witch, don't you see, and she sent the Rodeo Queen, the first little girl and her brother away with a scream.

Many moons passed before the first and second little girls reunited - many moons before the Rodeo Queen rescued the second little girl's father and made him her King. But this time was different, it wasn't so fun, the laughing was gone and the fighting begun. They fought and they scought and they screamed and they yelled and everyone in their house had thought they'd seen hell. This went on for a while until the second little girl finally said, "I think dad has some whiskey in that whiskey cabinet of his. We should drink some of it" and that is dern well what they did.

The friendship reunited, now more of a sisterly bond, and when the second little girl went to college and called the first with tears streaming down, she rushed to her, she rushed out of town.

Macaroni was made and dance music was played and suddenly out of a foggy smoggy fleet, their old friend Lavar Burton showed up and gave them a treat. There was laughing and singing and joy - oh, the joy - on that night of splendor - a special memory for them both to keep.

Closer to the time it is now, as the two little girls continued to grow, their hearts began to sink, their lives became a bit too slow. For the little girls had not found love, which seemed to be all around, and then little girl number two had an idea. "A prom! A dance! That will surely turn things around!"

With hope and gusto and a little Tanglewood magic, they built a mighty bonfire, hoping the evening wouldn't turn tragic. A band was hired and tunes were tingled while dances were danced and with little boys they mingled. There was laughing and singing until the night too soon ended - and that was that - that was all - and everything was splendid.

Happy Birthday, Kori! You are amazing - keep doing what you're doing and living what you're living. I'll be home soon and to Cody's we must go for biscuits and gravy, laughy taffy and to play the lott-o.

And, well, you have to like this story because we are related. And you are the first and I am the second as I have already stated. Okay? Okay!?!?!