My whole life, I have had an older brother to look up to, to learn from, to laugh with, to get advice from, and much more that I probably never even noticed. He was always 3 or 4 steps ahead of me – in school, in growth, in his spiritual walk, and ultimately, with life in general. I always watched from a little farther behind how he handled situations and what he liked to do. When I watched, I remember thinking about how I couldn’t wait to get where he was! He was graduating high school when I was in the sixth grade. There were so many people that were proud of him and they really liked him. Of course, like brothers and sisters do, we got on each other’s nerves.

But when you put him, my sister, and I altogether, we laugh. We think about all the good times we have had in the past enjoying the simple things in life. Whether it be the time we threw a pancake out the door on top of my Mom’s car or the many episodes of Spongebob Squarepants we watched, we loved to laugh. After all this time, he has been through six years of college and I am only in my second. My sister is doing an internship. We are all in separate places now. We are all trying to figure out life, my sister and I more than him.

When you give a girl a brother, she learns more than she could possibly imagine. She learns how to love, to laugh, to care, and somehow, she learns things about herself. My brother and I are a lot alike, but we are also very different. I set a standard for myself a long time ago – one that was originally set my him. He probably doesn’t know, but spending time with him, even when he’s farther away that I would like him to be so we have to talk on the phone, makes me feel so cared about.

When you have an example as good as I have, you just know that you’re blessed. God knew I would need a brother, so that must be why I have Austin.

Get yourself a brother. They usually know what they are talking about.

Have a great week! I know it’s been a while.