I've always had a favorite photo of you - the one where you're pretending to be asleep outside of a pub in London. Or was it Paris? I'm pretty sure it was London. Either way, I've always loved that photo of you. Even as a little girl I thought it perfectly captured the free spirit wittiness of my aunt. I thought it made you look like the badass that you are.
You've been teaching me since I was little how to hold my head high, how to be perfectly okay with who I am, practically through osmosis. I love the way your laugh opens up a room, how when you talk about Granny and Pa your face softens and the love and admiration are apparent. I love the way you do your own, always, and your love for road trips makes me smile. I love the way you inherited Granny's love for gardening and making the things around you beautiful.
I'll always admire your grit and your charm, and hope and pray that the badassery that makes up your cells was transferred to a few of my cells too.
Thank you for being my aunt Toni, and I love you.