November 8th

Today is a very special day. Today is the day my brother was brought into the world. Thirty years ago that is.

Thomas is four years younger than I. Yeah, do the math. You can figure out my age. I remember going to the hospital to pick him and my Mom up to bring them home. I was terrified. Thought they both were going to break. I honestly do not remember ANYTHING of him as a baby. I'm a heavy sleeper, so I guess he didn't interrupt my nights.

We played hard as kids. He loved the Justice League and we spent many hours rescuing the world from the evils of Darkseid. But on that same note, we also spent hours playing with Barbies. We coated ourselves with all the dirt there is in Logan County. There were trees to climb, horny toads to find, 4 wheelers to ride, Grandpa's tools to hide, cows to feed, Grandma's candy to eat. And of course there was Grandma's clothes and jewelery. Yep, I dressed him up all the time. And we're not talking a little toddler that couldn't stop me. I think he was like 10 the last time I put the "Princess Di" jewels on him. We fought, we loved, we're siblings.

My Mom went back to school one summer. What I remember most is eating Macaroni and Cheese for lunch while watching Dukes of Hazard with Thom. And we would inevitably get into a fight. I have the guilt today of being the person solely responsible for my brother's claustrophobia. I never once hit him, but I would pin him down to the floor. He still goes mad if someone tries that. We were typical siblings. And over the years, our relationship has stretched. Sometimes it's close together, sometimes it's thin. But you know what? That brother of mine will drop everything for me if I ask him to. There was that time he drove for a couple of hours with my Dad to rescue my family from the side of the road in the middle of the Oklahoma heat. Or stayed up all night while babysitting my oldest as we waited for my second to be born. I may not remember everything, but I know that Thomas will always be there.

I am so very grateful for a little brother. No matter how many feet he towers over me.

Beth