Thursday, July 12, 2012

Siblings: I love them...now :) and Happy 22nd





     I remember when my siblings and I were younger...(I have a younger sister-15 and an older brother-22) I remember how we used to fight every other day about the typical things that siblings fight about; doing the dishes, who's turn it was to sweep the floor, who gets to sit in the front seat, who's turn it is to switch out the laundry, and countless other things. Every fight would usually end up with us screaming things like "I hate you!" or "you're stupid!!" and my favorite, "I am never going to talk to you ever again!!" My mom always told us that we would get along better when  we were older, but of course, I never believed her.
     The sibling that I clashed with the most was my brother. I of course played the tattle tale role and he played the annoying teasing older brother role (Believe me, we played our roles very well.) I look back at all of the times I tattled on him for silly things and the times in high school when I told him that he needed to stop yelling at my parents and to just listen to them. When a few years down the road I was having the exact same arguments with them and I was always thinking "geez...now i get what he was so upset about."
     My brother served a very righteous faithful mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Columbus, Ohio. He was gone for 2 very long years. I regret to say that I was so happy when he left, about 2 weeks after he left I turned into a train wreck. I missed him like CRAZY. And that exact moment was when the count down started. I wrote him almost every week for two years and he faithfully wrote me back when he could. I realized how much I truly loved my brother, and how much I cherished the moments we had spent together.
    Some of my favorite memories with my brother were spent playing tennis on those early summer mornings, playing with our dogs, riding the "big" rides together at Disney land or world, and thinking of ways to get my little sister to ask my parents something we knew they never let us do if we asked ourselves.  During the two years that he was gone I constantly looked back on those moments and apologized for the moments when we fought. I learned that you never truly miss someone until they aren't with you anymore.
   On the 16 of July my brother will be 22 years old. I can't believe that I really just typed the number 22... I still feel like I am 12 and he is 15. Now we are trying to act like grown ups, working, going to college, and buying groceries. Time has gone buy way to fast and I am starting to realize that the only way to get it back is through those precious memories and pictures that we so often take advantage of.
    This past week my brother came to see me and I took him out to dinner at his favorite restaurant: Texas Road House. It wasn't the present that I wanted to give him but he understood that we are two very poor college students so of course we made it in time for the early bird special. He introduced me to the famous "chicken critters" and they were incredibly delicious so we decided that next time we went there, we would share one and split the sides. (genius idea that I wish we would have thought of  earlier.) And of course I told our awesome waitress that it was my brothers birthday so at the top of her sweet Italian voice she yelled to everyone that this lucky kid was turning 22. 
    I guess my point to this great long story is that whether we like it or not, it is time to grow up. And it is time forgive those that are closest to us. It is time to follow the council of the beloved Prophet President Thomas S. Monson "If there are disagreements or contentions among you, I urge you to settle them now."It is time to realize that family is the MOST IMPORTANT gift and responsibility. It is time to turn those memories of disagreements or misunderstandings into "Something to Laugh About"
   Now turn off your computer and go hug and kiss your whole family.
oh and P.S. HAPPY 22nd ZACH! I love you more than anything! don't do anything I wouldn't do! ;) and if you do...call me and tell me all about it.

  
My Gorgeous Best Girl Friend and Sister
My incredible inspiring Daddy
My Loving Best Friend and Brother
My beautiful amazing mother









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