Not all of us are fortunate enough to get to share a womb with a pretty rad dude for 9 months. I won’t go so far as to say I’d like to do it again, but I sure can’t think of a better wombmate than the one I got.

He did get a little greedy in there, hogging all the nutrients and sprouting 10 inches and 80 pounds past me. But I’m over it– I got the first victory in life by escaping before him, and can now scurry through small tunnels way easier than he can.

After getting some good practice in the womb, Luke and I grew up sharing most things: a crib, a bedroom, birthday parties (half of which were Peter Pan- and Tinkerbell-themed), schools, vacations, pets, State Fair of Texas Twin Contest prizes (yep… that happened), summer jobs, friends, and some pretty fly matching outfits.

Luke was my very first classmate, campmate, and teammate (no mind that my chili bowl led people to know us as the Wade boys… Thanks, Mom). He was also my first co-worker (if you count his 8-hour ping-pong tournaments as “lifeguarding”) and even a part of my first tap recital and school play.

For the first time since 1989, however, our birthday is something we don’t get to share (in person, at least). In fact, the 19-hour time difference between New Zealand and Texas marks the biggest difference in our ages ever. I like telling people I’m older than Luke, but frankly the usual 2-minute gap does it for me. I hope it’s a long time (or never) until we celebrate another year of life without each other.

So Lukey, I know we drive each other crazy sometimes, but you really are the only other pea I’d want in my pod. Your soft spot for animals…

and ability to sweet talk others into buying them for you,

your inspiration to relax, procrastinate every now and then, and not take life too seriously,

your perfection of the booty-bump…

and the fish nibble,

and your comedic relief at opportune moments (i.e. asking me to get a competitor’s phone number in the middle of a Conference Championship 10k and calling me “Becka the Wrecka” in a text not 2 minutes after I totaled my car)…

are as precious to me as that full-body cheetah-print unitard was to you between the ages of 6 and… well, now.

I miss you and your goofy self every day that I’m gone, but especially on the anniversary of the day I proved that I’m the strong and dominant twin. I wish we could celebrate together, but I have a feeling you’ll ensure that we more than make up for it when I get back. Have a great day, Lucas, and rest assured that, although I’m continents away, I’ll be doing lots of this in your honor today:

Love ya, Wombie! Happy 24th.