thanksgiving13: brothers.

Today I'm thankful for:
brothers.

There's truly nothing like them.

Nelson:
For all the yard-work you had to do that for me was 'optional'
For all the times I read your journal that you deny ever existed
For all the Saturday morning Garfield episodes
For teaching me to build a fort
For sharing your birthday with me even after I dethroned you as the only child
For the numerous times you locked me out of the house for your entertainment
For all the girls who have befriended me through the years because they had a crush on you
For all the times you told me what you thought about the guys I was dating/considering dating
For not sending hate mail to the heartbreakers even though you wanted to (the thought was enough...Lauren told me)
For the night at Youth Camp 7th grade that you came and put your arm around me and worshipped right beside me
For being someone I could look up to
For making me so much better at soccer
For driving me to school even though I made you late
For sneezing on me on the way to school as revenge for making you late
For teaching me that character was more important than what I wore any day
For protecting me
For the notes you'd secretly leave in my room every time you left to go back to Baylor

For the times you took me to church my freshman year because you were good to me

For being a wealth of information and knowing more about sports than anyone I've ever met

For choosing an incredible wife and sharing her with me
For trusting me to watch your son
For being a man of integrity and character


Austin:
For all the times you let me paint your toenails or dress you up like a girl when we were little
For be-heading my Barbies and throwing the heads out the car window
For teaching me that even though I talk smack, I do in fact fight like a girl
For all the mothering you put up with from me through the years
For chunking books at me and Bradie while we tried to dodge them while swinging
For the prank with the squirrel hat and fishing line that we'd all pull on Glade road
For the countless entertaining stories you provided (cat in freezer, finger cut off in the oven...etc)
For all the hamsters you talked mom and dad into buying (14 total)
For the time you got a concussion and I thought you might die that scared me to death
For putting me and Sarah in our place during tube wars
For being the most thoughtful Christmas gift giver (& for your terrible attempts at wrapping those gifts)
For teaching me the best hiding spots in the house
For Mary and the Camel competitions with me and Sarah
For indoor soccer games in the hallway
For all the times you let me play teacher and help you in school
For all the times you tried to pay me to do your homework
For hanging our Christmas lights for the past several years and risking your life
For humbling me and reminding me I'm not always right
For selling lemonade to the construction workers and teaching me entrepreneurship at a young age
For your future black son Jeffrey
For your fashion sense and all of the fashion advice you've given me through the years
For helping me appreciate the word "juxtaposition"
For marching to the beat of your own drum
For pushing me to break out of my shell
For being good with people and keeping life interesting
For reminding me God has a bigger plan when you knew I was sad
For making me laugh
For being a man of passion and generosity