THANKSGIVING DAY 6: My Brother

I am so so thankful for my brother! Without him, I truly don't know where I would be. He was a hard brother, he had big expectations of me, and when I failed him I could see the disappointment! I've always wanted to make him proud of me.

I must admit, as compettive of a heart that I have, there was no better feeling as a kid than beating my brother at a sport! Any sport, you name it, I was gonna beat him!

I think my brother was even my biggest fan, well, next to Dad! I played volleyball for years and continued into college. As I was huffing and puffing catching my breath from a long strenuous game, there was my brother waiting in the bleachers to untie my shoes, pull off my STANKY ankle braces, and my sweaty sticky socks so I could air off my feet. If he was at a game he always did that. Now that I read that, it sounds weird, but let me tell you, I felt like the luckiest sister around.

My brother's senior year in high school, ( I am 3 yrs younger ) I cried so often at night knowing he was leaving to college. I would go in his room and sleep on the floor! Funny thing is, he decided to live at home and go to college, thus I was the first to leave! All that worry for nothing!

When I was a freshman in highschool and he was a senior, I could walk up to his table at lunch, hold out my hand, and he would lay lunch money in my hand. No questions asked, no speaking, he took care of me, and I left silently to spare him from any embarrassment, I was a freshman, they're not allowed at the senior table, so not cool!

To this day, I would have to say, I look up to my brother more than anybody, sad thing is, I see him the least. Chris is a go getter....he is full of ambition, loves his children, and on a good day, he's REALLY funny!

The last story I will share about my brother, when I went through a divorce, it was him (and my parents) who allowed me to get out of a bad situation. It was him who made me realize, that it's not always the woman deciding to stay in a bad marriage. So often I hear, "why does she stay with him". I know why, if the woman has no money, a lawyer to protect her children, and a place to stay until she gets on her feet, what is a woman supposed to do. You will never hear me ask why a woman stays......I will pray for the situation. I am fortunate that I had a family to help me in a HUGE time of need!

Oh, and my brother's pretty good at bragging about he's lil sis too! I often catch him telling stories of me back in the day. Makes me smile, just a bit! He also landed me a job with the company he works for, and have now been with the company for seven years.

I definitely am thankful for my one and only sibling.....I could go on forever about him! I hope my boys and Michaella grow up loving one another the way we did....of course we did have a few HUGE fights....sorry Chris, I gotta let em know I won those fights!

Here's to brothers and childhood memories!