National Sibling Day

Happy National Sibling Day!

When it comes to siblings, I was obviously in the front of the line and got first picks.

And I didn't choose any sisters.

I chose these two darlings:

I often feel that it's just not fair that I got such fantastic brothers.

We don't fight.

We aren't arguers.

We call each other "Dear".

They didn't really beat me up that much as a child.

They called me princess and I sent them to "the dungeon" on more than one occasion.

(Not joking.)

They pretty much treated me like royalty all my life.

Having said that...

They were deathly afraid of Ursula and wouldn't let me watch Little Mermaid.

We didn't own any other Princess movies.

They taught me how to box with the boxing gloves that Mom and Dad bought for when things got a little crazy.

We spent a considerable amount of time on the tile stair in time out.

Including one Christmas Eve when we were headed to our family party and Mom was so upset at how we were acting that she turned the car around and banished all three teenage children to the tile stair until we could pull ourselves together.

Hilarious.

I loved the tile stair because it always ended in hilarity and really good talks.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the tile stair for making my brothers and me best friends.

I learned from my oldest brother how to work hard at things.

I watched him set his mind to several things and make every single one happen.

I watched him go through quite a journey of self-discovery, that was oftentimes really hard, but that ended him as the Student Body President of our High School.

I marveled then, and continue to stand in awe, at his musical abilities.

I remember, back when we had a recording studio in the basement, I found him playing my cello.

I asked him what he was doing and he told me that he needed a cello sound on a track and so he picked up the thing and figured out how to play and and recorded a track.

Unbelievable.

He kept doing that over and over with

Saxophones,

Banjos,

Guitars,

Violins,

and the list goes on and on.

The kid is a musical genius.

As children, he was my protector.

He watched out for me...always.

I remember going on a children's choir trip and being so homesick that I couldn't eat.

He stayed right by my side and helped me to feel comfortable.

He told me that he loved me and held my hand when I was feeling sad.

I enjoyed countless late night conversations in which we would talk about everything in life.

Luckily for me, he called me on Monday night around 10:30pm and we got to have another one of those conversations.

And he called again last night at the same time and we got to have another one.

I've missed those.

I love that kid.

I look up to him so much.

He's my hero.

He continues to throw together musical numbers that he usually writes on the way to the event we are supposed to be performing at, and throwing music at us at the last minute.

I love that about us.

The other one, the middle child of the group, isn't much of a dud either.

He and I became so close during our high school years, at which time we attended the same school.

He was SO popular but not in the trendy kind of way.

He was popular in the he-is-genuinely-kind-to-every-single-person kind of way.

He taught me then, and teaches me now, how people should be treated.

He has a heart the size of the Atlantic.

He, too, did his share of protecting.

Like, you might have called it slightly out of hand.

One high school evening, we were at a friend's house and a male put his hand on my knee.

Not in a romantic way.

He put his hand on my knee in a "I need to tell you something" way.

That sweet middle child of mine didn't know that and he proceeded to CHASE that male around the house.

Threatening him to never touch his sister again.

Go ahead, just picture that situation.

Go ahead.

And then go ahead and imagine the conversation around my parent's waterbed as we both returned home that evening.

Just go right ahead.

He is a rockstar.

Sometimes he just starts businesses and they are successful.

I mean, who does that?

He's tied for first for #1 hero status.

These two rugrats made it super difficult to find someone to marry.

That future husband had some huge shoes to fill.

(Literally, Ross wears a size 13.)

These boys are my everything.

They bring me so much joy and created an ideal life for the only girl to grow up in.

They have been my very best friends since the very beginning.

How we ever survived 5 am scripture study, I will never know.

I am fairly certain that I wouldn't have made it without them.

I cherish all those hours in the car traveling from lesson to lesson together.

I treasure the dance parties and watching Ross laugh so hard that he cries.

I will forever chuckle at the time Mark and I were playing a duet in a recital and got going so fast that we couldn't stop laughing...in front of the audience.

We have shared more happy memories in only 20+ short years than most people have in a life time. 

I got super spoiled to be raised with these two munchkins.
I can't imagine our home life being any more complete.
They are everything brothers should ever be.
Perhaps they should write a book on how to be the perfect brothers
because they've both got it completely figured out.

I love you two Crazies.
Like, really love.