An Ode to Brothers

In the past week, both of my brothers turned another year older.

They turned old, actually.   Kyle hit the big 3-0 and Jonathan is wrapping up college at 22. 

I love them more this year than I did last year.  While I've always been a bit envious of those with sisters, I would not trade having brothers, or my brothers in particular, for anything.  I never take it for granted that I got to live this life with my brothers for one more year.  They are so important to me.  I have been blessed. 

You might think that parents shape a child, but I'd like to make an argument for siblings.

Kyle was my constant companion, my best childhood friend.  I couldn't dream of a better sibling for a child.  He can create a story better than anyone I know, and I got to live that with him.  We spent endless hours in imaginative play- turning our closet into a motor home, our backyard into the wild west, our downstairs into an art museum.  Of course, you had to pay to visit the art museum.  But you're not surprised, right? We both love competition, so it worked well for us to have a live-in competitor for our parents attention, the best grades and status.  We have had many doors open to us because we pushed each other to excellence.  Today, this has led us to a deep admiration and respect.  We're following our talents (his are billion dollar mergers, mine are with kids) and our dreams (even though he is a hugely successful lawyer, he is also an incredible fiction writer).  Kyle is brilliant, complex, sensitive and a party-animal. I love that I got to know that from the beginning, and appreciate the man he's become on a very deep level.

And then Jonathan came along.  You might want to stop now and read the beautiful story of his adoption.  Jonathan's more than we ever imagined God could give our family.  The best way to put it is that for all the effort Kyle and I put into our lives, Jonathan has been showing us up since toddler hood. It's because he has WOO.  Woo is actually a strength on the Strength Finders test and it fits him perfectly--"Woo stands for winning others over. In your world there are no strangers, only friends you haven’t met yet—lots of them."   You can't help but be super happy to be alive when you are with Jonathan.  His laugh is contagious and the way he inspires others has truly, deeply changed me as a leader.  I've loved having him on my leadership team and then getting to de-brief our days.  He adds valuable wisdom and insight into ministry, life and what the team needs.  I'm his biggest fan and Kyle is his biggest donor, so he's set for life.  I can't wait to see what the next few years hold for our talented, lovable, wooing baby brother.
 
And there you have it.  12 lines on each brother.  Yes, I counted.  Because they will totally argue over who got more time on the blog.  Which is fine because I'm good at sarcasm, I'm not too sensitive, I can hold my own in any game and sometimes, I might even punch back.  I only had brothers, you know.

Oh, and since they'll never write an Ode to The Sister- at least let me give myself props for teaching them how to dress well-

Posted in: Family