It's April 21, 2009 and it's my brother's birthday. He's 20 years old today, which is completely insane to me. How did he get so old ?
I left home to go to college when he was 11. When I left, he was a little short, chubby kid with cute cheeks, spiky hair with blonde highlights, and a farmer's tan from playing outside all the time. He was a kid who never thought girls had cooties, loved to talk in crazy voices, hated to take showers, and doused himself with body spray called "Bod - Really Ripped Abs"
(that to this day makes me gag when I catch a whiff of it) to make himself smell good enough to not take a bath. He had a sidekick, Tucker, with whom he had "picnics on the roof", eating chocolate pudding and beef jerky before posing on the side of the road with their bikes strategically placed and red paint on their faces to see how many people would stop and help them with their "bike wreck". He had a magic spell over my parents that could convince him to let him do ANYTHING!
He whistled and flashed the porch lights on when I was getting a goodnight kiss from boys I dated. He hid under my bed and scared me to death when I least expected it. He made me mad enough to cry and laugh so hard I peed my pants. He's the center of attention everywhere he goes without even trying to be. He has more potential than he even realizes. He is amazingly gifted. He is one of a kind.
I can't protect him, but I want to.
I can't tell him what to do, but I try to.
I can't see him as often as I should, but I wish I could.
HOW does time go by SO FAST?!?!?
Eric - - have a birthday as happy as the memories I have of you. Coop is so lucky to have a
"Big E" like you. I'm lucky to have a brother like you. We love you to the moon!!!
This is so sweet! I remember when "Big E" was born..Now I feel old!
ReplyDelete