A Brother's Love (93/366)

Two weeks ago, my older brother celebrated his birthday.  On this day, I wished him a very happy day.  He is so blessed in so many ways - and he returns those blessings on other people.

I've often thought about all he and I have been through over the years.  Yes, I have two brothers, but my little brother's birthday isn't until August, so I'll save that post for, well, August!

My older brother and I are 3 years apart.  Almost to the day.

I remember as a middle-schooler, he was a Freshman in High School and he always had the coolest clothes.  Of course, he had a job to buy those clothes with.  He delivered pizza with my mom's Geo Tracker - I still cannot forget the smell when we got into the car after he had been delivering pizzas for 6 hours the night before.  Ewww!

Anyway, back to the clothes - he had this one pair of Guess jeans.  I LOVED those jeans.  At the time I was going through a "grungy" phase, so it seemed appropriate that I would wear his jeans that were a little too big for me, and had started ripping out in the knees.  Every chance I got to put those jeans on I did.  I'd wait until they were laying in the dirty laundry pile and wear them for days.  When he finally realized they weren't clean and put back in his dresser, he figured out really quickly where they were.  One day after school, he busted me!  He got so mad and yelled, "Kris! If you don't take those jeans off right now I'll rip them off of you!"  He got his jeans back... sometimes.

Then came High School for me. I want to say I was in 9th or 10th grade, which would make him either a senior, or just out of school.  He was still delivering pizzas.  And he had met a girl at work that he was CRAZY about!  I mean NUTSO!  But she had a boyfriend.  Like a very long time boyfriend.  As I was sitting in my room late on school nights, listening to music, he would come in to my room after he got out of work and ask me what he should do about this girl that had a boyfriend that he loved so much.  All on his own, he put flowers on her car (she thanked her boyfriend for those... they weren't from him :\), he made mixed tapes for her (actually I did - he just took the credit), and eventually bought her a promise ring when she finally agreed to go on a date with him.  Of course, she and her boyfriend had broken up by this point, and my brother seized the moment.  I'm pretty sure he gave her that promise ring before they were even "official".  I told him he was crazy and rushing things.  He didn't listen.

He proposed to her on Bozeman Mountain in Montana on a vacation they took with some of their friends.  She had bought brand new, not broken in hiking boots before the trip and was crippled with blisters.  When he asked her to walk just feet from where she was resting (to a more scenic view), she yelled at him!  They have this on video tape.  When she finally conceded (he's stubborn and didn't give up), he got down on one knee and proposed.  She cried, he cried, their friends cried - we cried when we saw the video. 

This fall marks their 12th wedding anniversary.  They have 3 year old twin daughters, and another miracle baby on the way.  He is an amazing daddy and husband (still no lack of stubbornness).

Through the years, we've been in different places - and we've grown apart some.  But not in a bad way.  We just both have our own lives and very busy schedules.  He is good friends with my husband and the four of us (before kids) had some AMAZINGLY FUN times together.

As you know, I didn't grow up with a sister.  As life goes on, it doesn't really matter.  I like my brothers.  They're all I know.  And I know that now, in (almost) mid-life, there's no distance or circumstance that can keep us from being there for each other in the most important, troubling, special, happy, sad or what may you times.

Happy Birthday Old Man Brother!  I hope it was happy, and blessed.  You are such a blessing to so many, including your little sister!  Thanks for everything - I love you.