December 19, 2016 6:20 a.m.

I am currently at the Heart of America Surgery Center. Not for myself, but for my pride and joy: my little Jordy. For anyone who knows him and I, his name is Nugget, and he's the cutest little nugget of them all. As my whole world is in surgery, I thought no better time than now to reflect on all that having a brother 10 years younger than me brings. Both for the good, and the bad, I wouldn't change for anything. Being a big sister 10 years older means:

1. You get to become a really, really young mom.

I couldn't tell you the number of times I got dirty looks at the movies, the mall, the store, all because some judgmental people have such little logic that they think I, as a 16-year-old, could have a 6-year-old. The irony in this is that while he is not actually my child, I treat him as such. When the cutest little baby comes into your world around the same time as baby dolls are the coolest toy, naturally this little brother is going to take their place. There is absolutely nothing I wouldn't do for him, and he knows that he's wrapped around my finger. From the day he came into this world and my mom taught me how to give him a bottle, I knew I would spend my days loving him. He's always been my baby.

2. Lots of bonding with Mom

One of my favorite "mom phrases" is when my littlest brother is acting up and she tells me that "our son is being a pain." Although he may not always enjoy it, Jordy really does have two mothers, and we love him dearly. This means a lot of conversations regarding how he's doing, what he's doing, and what his schedule is. Nobody understands a mom better than another mom, and in this case, our little boy is one and the same.

3. You never have to grow up

Yes, I may be like my mom on one end, but that doesn't mean that I can't take advantage of legos still being super popular in my house, or that Disney Channel is still an acceptable station to have on the TV. Jordy has kept my heart like that of a child's, and I love every second of it. Who else could I take with to The Lego Movie and not get funny looks?

4. Witnessing differences in generations first-hand

A majority of you reading this are most likely within a few years of my own age, and therefore understand the complex transitioning time that we were born into. Our childhood consisted of Teletubbies (let's never relive those), playing outside, and TVs that were boxier than my dollhouse. In contrast, Jordy at age 5 was able to use an iPad better than my parents. Yes, my generation are the one's being accused of addiction to technology, but we merely grew up as it evolved and adapted to it; Jordy's age doesn't remember a time without it. This drastic difference is both fascinating and horrifying, as I witness firsthand the differences in our childhoods simply because of a multiplication in screens.

5. Joy unlike anything else

Ladies and gentlemen, this boy's smile lights up my entire life. I really don't believe that there is anything else out there that could make me happier than maybe one day children of my own. As I battled with depression and anxiety, the one thing I could always count on is the smile he never failed to put on my face. What I believe to be the source of this is his still pure and innocent heart. All this little boy sees in the world is good, and has more love in his heart than anyone I know. As someone who sees the bad in the world, it's nice to come home and see his happy face.

6. Understanding you won't always get to be around

When you're 10 years older, it was bound to happen that my life moved on while he's still at home. And let me tell you, nothing hurt more than saying goodbye to him when I moved into my dorm at K-State. Saying goodbye not only meant not seeing him every day but goodbye to the bedtime talks, the good-morning kisses, the after school snack time together, cheering him on at every baseball, basketball, and soccer game, and so much more. This semester was the first time I missed an elementary music show of his, and it broke my heart.

7. Making it work- and having a relationship like none other

Most siblings live together a majority of the time they are growing up together, which means that Jordy and I had to create our own way of doing things. We have our brother-sister system that includes a lot of FaceTime calls and GamePigeon tournaments (his favorite game is Tanks, which -- naturally -- I am very bad at). Jordy knows that no matter when it is, I am simply the click of a button away, and I am there for him immediately. Even my new college friends know that my little boy comes very first and I will pause just about anything to answer a call from him. We may not get to see each other every day, but our relationship is stronger than ever.

Jordan Lee is easily my best friend in the whole world. It may not be in the way I am best friends with a peer, but it is most definitely best friends. Just as he can lean on me to help him through life, I can always depend on him being my little sunshine. I couldn't imagine life without him, and as I finish writing this laying in our mom's bed while he sleeps off the anesthesia as he holds his giant blue octopus pillow, I can say without a doubt that I am the luckiest big sister in the world.