Breaking it down...we had a house with 3 men, 3 women, a 12 year old, 9 year old, two 3 year olds, and 4 two year olds and a 10 month old....whoa right !?! It was such a blast watching the cousins running and screaming (maybe a hit here or there....)eating cupcakes, dirt, etc.
Growing up, I was seven years younger than my oldest brother and I am three years younger than my middle brother. Needless to say, we did not have a lot in common growing up. I was the annoying little sister....I tattled, I was loud....and I was the baby, so slightly spoiled....ok...more than slightly.
It seemed as though years and years passed before I even realized how important a sibling really was/is....and now when I look back I see times that I wished I would have really stopped to appreciate my brothers. Like when my middle brother would gift me with a note the night before high school started...each year...sophomore, junior and senior year. Words of encouragement...verses that showed me I was loved. My oldest brother finally sitting down and having conversations with me and including me in his life during a heartbreaking divorce. All of a sudden age didn't matter....support and love was there regardless.
Two of my favorite memories in the world that include my brothers are first, my college graduation...I was the first in my family to graduate from college...and the whole crew came up to see it. I remember a moment...in the parking lot after the ceremony that they both came walking up to me with tears in there eyes...no words just a huge hug...and I have never felt more.....happy....in my life.
The second was the day of I got married.....when one brother stood beside my groom and watched with love and support...and the other brought our hands together in marriage, and read our vows that we repeated and prayed over our marriage.
We are all now married...we are spouses...mothers/fathers...we have endless responsibilities and hearts full of hope....we have faced failure...heartache...and pure bliss. Now I feel like we have so many tales to share and days that a phone call makes all the difference.
Not only that...you know the saying "Behind every great man, is a great woman..."well that couldn't be MORE true...my brothers have both married two of the most incredible women there are in this world. Both women have been around for a VERY long time and have seen me grow up in many ways. I have found a friendship in both, but more than that they are truly sisters to me. I am able to talk to them about anything and they have always showered me with encouragement and more importantly, the truth. I am so incredibly thankful for that.....
I love knowing that we have a crazy family....as in any family we have our struggles and our ups and downs...but to know that overall we are there for one another regardless of what is going on. I lift up in prayer every night now for being blessed with such a great group of people that I get to call family. Life will not always be easy...things will happen that will break our heart...on the other hand there will be instances that we want to jump for joy and celebrate life...fortunately I have people around me that will catch me when needed....and jump up in joy when needed too!
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