As is the case when I ASSUMED that January 23 was on Monday. Last week when I didn't have a muse for my blog, I thought "on Monday I have a birthday to write about, Tuesday I have a birthday to write about, Wednesday another birthday and William Wednesday..." and so on. Only problem: January 23 was yesterday. So, that means one more missed birthday AND an overlap today. Whatever shall I do?
Guess I'll just start at yesterday and work from there.
I remember when I was a kid there was one week out of the year which Brian loved to torment Brandon about. It was the week between January 23 and February 1. Why? Because for that one week they were the same age. In kid-world that's a big deal. Brandon was no longer the big brother. Brian was no longer the younger brother. For one week they were on even playing fields and Brian LOVED it. I know what you're all thinking - you're doing the math and realizing that if they were the same age for 8 days then that means they are less than a year apart, meaning that my mom was pregnant when Brandon was less than 3 months old (especially considering Brian went past his due date!) I know, you're all thinking she's insane. And I'd have to agree. Lesson to be learned: breast feeding is NOT a form of birth control.
Moving on.
Just like during that one week during the year in which Brian tormented Brandon over their ages, Brian got great joy out of tormenting his siblings. My mom loves to tell the story that when I was a baby Brian's favorite game was "let's try to poke Amanda's eyes out". That game didn't end as I grew up, it just morphed with my age. At one point it turned into "let's slam amanda's fingers in the door" or "let's beat amanda in the leg with a wooden bat". There were lots of violent games to be played, but I don't regret one of them. Brian was only preparing me to be the tough person that I am now, and though I would NEVER say thank you to his face, I do know that I am better because of it.
Plus, I always knew that no matter how mean he may be at home, if anyone were to EVER do anything to me, Brian was the first one to defend my name. He punched his friend Clint in the face when Clint made fun of my "boy" haircut. He threatened one of his best friend's when he asked me to the Homecoming dance. He would turn on a friend in a heartbeat if he felt like that friend had wronged me in any way, and he had my back no matter what.
Brian and I didn't develop our close at-home relationship until his last year of high school, though. Up until then he was mean at home and protective at school. Not a baby sister's favorite combination, let me tell you. I wanted him OUT OF MY LIFE - with all the teenager girl-drama you can imagine. But his senior year of high school things started to change. We gained an appreciation for each other which I don't believe either of us had prior to that, and we really became close. I had always known that Brian would stop at nothing to help me, would do anything for me, and loved me in a special big-brother way - but it was in that last year that we actually developed a personal relationship.
During my first year of college Brian decided to enlist in the Army, which is 2 years later than he should have in my opinion. It was something that always tugged on him - the true inner calling that so many soldiers describe. He's very good at what he does and he enjoys it. It has made me so proud to brag about how great of a brother I have, and then its like icing on the cake when I get to add on that he is a soldier defending our freedom every day. And if all that wasn't enough, can you imagine the warmth in my heart when Brian told me that he had requested to be stationed here in Colorado later this year to be here in support of William and me? Brian hates the cold, so this is truly not for him and I couldn't be more touched.
I know that I spent most of my childhood griping and complaining that he was so mean and that I wished I had a sister, but even then I knew how blessed I was - I was just too immature to admit it. I couldn't imagine life without two older brothers, and the balance between the 2 was key. Brian practice tough, honest (sometimes painful) love and has made me a more honest and much stronger person because of it.
Wish I hadn't had my days mixed up, but I guess that gives him one more day to celebrate himself. Well deserved. Love you Brian, counting down the days until May. Happy Birthday!!!
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