�They really did.� Lexi agreed.
�What else is in the box?� Piper asked.
�Let�s take things out one by one, so we can admire them better.� Lily suggested.
�Sure!� Allie said, �Lily, you do the honors.�
Lily smiled, �Okay.� but just as she reached into the box, there was a knock at the door and it opened, revealing Lily�s father at the other side, �Hi dad!� Lily greeted him.
�Hi, girls. Ooh, you did find the box. Your mother was suspecting that�s what you needed to show them.� Gregory said, coming in with four steaming cups of tea, �Here�s some tea to enjoy while you�re going through it.�
�Thanks dad.� Lily said, as the four girls each took a steaming mug of liquid. Lily set hers on a little stool near the bed, and reached back into the box, as her dad went out of the room, �Oooh.� she said, pulling out papers, each laminated with it�s own clear plastic sheet. �Okay, this one�s yours....and mine....and here�s you two�s.� she said, handing Lexi and Piper each a sheet of laminated paper. Allie leaned over Piper�s shoulder to read the paper her sister had.
�Our birth announcements.� Lexi said, in a hushed voice. She opened the slit in the laminated cover and peered in, �There�s two more sheets of paper behind it.� she observed.
Lily opened hers and slid the papers out, �My mom�s birth announcement, and....wow, Grandma Tara�s!�
�Ooh, this is cool, I was the biggest baby! Hahaha!� Allie taunted her sister, who stuck out her tongue.
�Let�s read them!� Piper suggested.
�It�ll go first.� Lexi said, clearing her throat, ��Madison-Anna and Richard Lindley announce the birth of their daughter, Alexis-Marie Lindley on October 4, 2042. She was born at 1:32 in the morning, weighing 7 pounds and 3 ounces and was 20 1/2 inches long.� And here�s my mom�s announcement, she was not quite seven pounds, and here�s Grandma Kennedi�s, she was seven and a half pounds, and Grandma Siobhan was six and a half pounds. Wow, small babies.� she commented.
�You were smaller than me, and now you�re taller than me!� Piper exclaimed. The Ha-ha-ha look came over Lexi�s face and Piper prodded her.
�Pipe, you wanna read ours?� Allie graciously asked, and Piper nodded.
��Thomas and Tamara Combs announce the births of their twin daughters; Alyson Tamara Combs and Piper Tamara Combs. Born on April 9, 2043 at 3:56 and 4:00 AM, Alyson weighed 7 pounds and 12 ounces and was 21 1/4� long, and Piper weighed 7 pounds 9 ounces and was 21� long.� So we were bigger than Lexi. Hehehe.� Piper giggled, causing Lexi to return her earlier prod.
�How big were your mom and grandma?� Lily asked, curiously.
�Let�s see.� Allie took the papers and went to the next page, �Grandma Alyson was almost eight pounds, just an ounce bigger than me, and mom was-wow-almost nine pounds.� she said, and whistled, �That�s big.�
�Yeah, but not as big as I was.� Lily grinned, �Listen to mine. �Allegra and Gregory Mitchell announce the birth of their daughter, Lily Allegra Mitchell, on November 6, 2043 at 7:07 AM. Lily weighed 9 pounds, 1 ounce and was 22 1/2 inches long.� Lily grinned as she finished, she might be the shortest now, but she was the biggest at birth.
�Woo. I�m scared to find out how big your mom and grandma were.� Alie said, and Lily looked down at the papers.
�Not as much as me, actually. Mom was 8 pounds, 15 ounces, and Grandma Tara was 8 pounds, 8 ounces.� Lily informed her friends.
�They were big, also! Your mom was bigger than mine, she was 8, 14.� Allie said, and snickered, �Go figure, Lily�s the shortest now by three inches.�
�Two and three quarters.� Lily corrected. She was five feet, one and a quarter inches tall, whcih was small compared to the twins� 5�3� and Lexi�s 5�4�.
�Whatever.� Allie said, and dodged Lily�s hand as she went to prod her friend.
�What are the rest of the papers?� Piper asked.
Lily reached in and picked up the next one. After reading the title, she handind it to Allie, �This would be for you to read.� she told her friend.
�Me? Okay.� Allie cleared her throat, ��Alyson�s valedictorian speech. The speech Ally gave at our graduation.��
�Grandma Ally was valedictorian?� Piper asked, awed.
�Apparently.� Allie said, and continued to read, ��I am very proud to say today that I am a member of the Baker High Class of 2003. This is an extraordinary class, with the highest number of cum laude graduates in twenty years. With the IB and AP programs firmly in place, this is a class with a high success rate, and for sure we will all do very well in our future plans. My success has not been strictly academic, though. A lot of my success is all because of my family and my best friends who have been there and supported me all through my school years, and enabled me to be the best I could be. I want to send a shout-out to my mom, Lorelai Wyatt, my dad, David Almond, my siblings; Alyssa, Arielle, and Peyton, and my best friends, Tara, Kennedi, Siobhan, and Madison. My best friends are amazing people, and I consider myself lucky every day to have them.
I�ve known Tara Maclayne for over twelve years, since Kindergarten. We met over a broken yellow crayon, and she�s been my friend ever since. She�s always been there, even when the world seemed dark. Her smile brightens up any day, and she�s such a compassionate person, I know she will get very far in life. Thank you, Tara.
Tara and I met Madison Winters in eighth grade. She�s the most outgoing and headstrong of us five, and she makes me proud every time she stands up for what she wants. She, too, is always there for a friend, and is a terrific talker. Thank you, Madison.
We hadn�t been in high school a month before we met Siobhan Arintero. Siobhan is the sweetest person, she had my heart the day we met. She�s been through the most of all of us, and the only thing I can say that will be enough is, I�m proud of you Siobhan. You made it, just like the rest of us. Thank you for being such a great friend.
Our newest friend, Kennedi Limon, became our friend two years ago on a ski trip. She quickly became one of us, and is the most creative and clever person. She�s very artistic, and will often present me with little gifts here and there that she�s made herself. Thank you, Kennedi.
My friends are all strong, sensitive, compassionate, and great role models. With every struggle and triumph I�ve watched them grow stronger. It doesn�t matter that I haven�t known some as long as others, they have equally earned my trust and respect in every way. Thank you guys, and thank you to the class of 2003. It�s been a great four years.�� Allie stopped reading, and smiled, �Wow, there�s so much in there that I didn�t even know.�
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