Dancing Diana -- My Youngest Sister (in-law)

Diana lounging on the Jersey Shore this summer.
Picture by Kayli

Diana is Derek's youngest sister.  Her birthday is really September first on the same day as Sister-in-law Laura's birthday and my parent's anniversary.  I decided, rather than to write about all of these nice people on the same day, I would do one at a time.  So Diana's birthday post is early.

Diana was seven when I joined the family and now she is all grown up with a husband, three children plus one to come soon, and a house.  Her oldest son is the same age as my second son, which is interesting because I never stopped to think that the little sisters I gained by marrying Derek would one day have kids the same ages as some of mine and we could be friends in a whole new way.
 
Diana is sweet, and quiet, and smart, and talented, with a good sense of humor.  I like her laugh and she always seems so calm to me.  Maybe she keeps all of her stress tightly under control when I'm around.  In high school she was on the drill team and played the piano for the choir (in a spectacular fashion I thought).  In college, when she was dating Bryon, I discovered that she could draw.  At least, compared to my art work hers is very impressive.  She can also write.  She graduated from BYU in English and, when she was in college, I used to write a lot of e-mail to Diana and enjoy a lot back in return.  That was fun for me.  I enjoyed hearing about her college adventures.

Diana did not feel ready to grow up yet, but she married Bryon when she was 19 anyway because he wasn't going to wait around and she wasn't going to let him get away.  Bryon is great.  I particularly like him because I've seen him look at Diana like he can't believe his wonderful good fortune in getting to be married to her, and she deserves to be appreciated.

Unfortunately for us Bryon's studies, and now his work, took them out east to New Jersey where we don't get to see them often.  Diana has ended up living far from both hers and Bryon's helpful families.  Somehow she has dealt with moving to new places, child birth, meeting new people, sending her kids off to school, a child's asthma, and Bryon's long working hours all without family living nearby.  Now she is even trying out home school.  I am sure she will do a good job because I haven't really noticed her ever doing a bad job at anything.  She is good at planning and organizing.  When we went to New Jersey this summer -- all 8 of us -- Diana took really good care of us, and made it look easy.

I love Diana and am impressed with her wisdom.  I am thankful for her good example and her good attitude about things.  I really hope that her birthday will be a happy one.