"To the one I call....my brother"

There once was a little boy who was born into my family and that little boy was my brother. This boy was special for many reasons and one such being that God placed him in our lives exactly a year to the date of a sweet baby girl's passing. You see there was another special baby that God brought to us a year earlier, but we never truly knew her for she was a full term stillbirth. God had His reasons for taking just as much as He had His sweet and blessed reason of giving and for both we are truly grateful. You can imagine the sweet thankfulness and gratitude of receiving this precious baby boy into our lives!

I was all of 7 years old when I inherited a brother. I loved him. I helped with him as any big sister would. Many times I would take him and try to calm him while giving my Mom some needed time to do whatever she needed to do. . . this boy was a crier! We have a picture of me trying to calm him the best way a 7 year old could and between me and the dog....I think we succeeded! We were outside, I was holding him....and the dog's part was licking him. Hey whatever works! I can remember times of going to dinner (out of course...for those who knew us) and every single time my poor Mom would sit down to eat the boy would know somehow and turn on the tears. I can remember them putting springs on the legs of the baby crib and seeing my Mom laying on the floor pushing the crib gently to soothe him.
Like all families we made it through those days and he grew into the next phase of life.

Dan was a wonderful little brother and I was his little Mother. He brought smiles, laughs, love and sweet times into our home. He was the sweet little boy that we loved dearly. Those days were long ago and the memories tend to be vague. One such funny one that seems to stand out for some reason is when he was about 3 years and I was having a slumber party. My friends and I were all outside.....here comes Dan. He must of had the urge to relieve his bladder so, in the middle of my friends, outside, he decided to take care of that business. We were all shocked and laughing in utter disbelief! And wouldn't you know it....that boy has kept us laughing many years later as well. He has a "talent" for that. :)

There would be a day when the roles reversed, at some point, and the baby grew into a protector of his "big" sister. Those memories are tender. In the sweet boy's mind there was no seven years difference....he was put here to watch over his sister, and he did a fine job of it. He wanted NO worldliness whatsoever to enter my world and as small and as big as he was....to this day I thank him for that. He seemed to know his job was done when David entered my world. Finally, he could relax, sit back....take a breath and give the role to one older and wiser. :)

In all honesty, I believe Dan grew up thinking and feeling that his sister was more loved, more special, more accepted by our family. I am here to dispute that thinking. Children though raised exactly the same way can experience life very differently. . . .this we all know. The only real differnce I believe there was resulted in two words. . . I listened. Not in any way shape or form do I lift myself up and say "Look at me...I listened and you didn't. Aren't I the special one!" Children are just made and bent differently and respond in different ways. This I know for certain.....our parents loved, accepted, prayed for, and cherished BOTH of us from the very beginning and that love has NEVER weakened....in fact it has grown with time I'm sure.

As a time has a way of doing....we grow up....and in growing up we go our seperate ways. But in our seperate lives there is and always will be one word that we share.....FAMILY. And that word "Family" holds many truths along with it. . . Love, Respect, Forgiveness, Acceptance and Hope. All of these come from a loving God who values the word FAMILY moreso than most any other thing. I am so thankful that my hope is in a trustworthy God who is/has worked mightly in BOTH of our lives. He is and He has brought deliverance, strength, forgiveness, restoration and hope .... always hope. To God be the glory! :)

So with this writing and thoughts.....I dedicate this Blog to my very own brother.

Dan, I love you more than you know and I am SO extremely proud of you in so many ways! Keep your life focused on the One Who loves you most!

With much love,

Your Sister