I come from a big family. It is larger due to the fact that we tend to adopt people. Friends, girlfriends and boyfriends. In this family, once your in, your in. It is a good thing. We don't do this because we want to take over the world or start a cult, it's just that once we love someone, that someone really has to work hard to make us un-love them. It hasn't happened yet, and to be honest I don't know that it ever will. I like it this way. There are more points of view, more hugs, more loved ones there to rally around us when we need it and for us to rally around them in their times of need.
One of these people with whom I share actual DNA is my big brother. Growing up, he was always just the big brother, and I was the stinky little sister. I'm sure that I drove him crazy most of the time. I remember one time trying to make him respect my stuffed animals (my dearest friends) and not understanding why in the world he would ever feel the need to throw one of them. Such disrespect.
In our pre-teen years we would have squabbles just as my own children do these days. He would get upset that my long dark hair had once again clogged the shower drain, and he would in turn be upset that I had danced on his, oh so cool water bed with my friends during a sleepover. He was still my big brother.
To this day I can remember the fear that took over my body while I sat in the backseat of the car, while following the ambulance that he was in. The neighborhood boys were playing football in the street and he and one of his opponents hit head on at full speed, my brother flew through the air landing straight on the top of his head. The seizure that followed resulted in the trip in the ambulance. I can't at this time remember exactly what I was thinking, but I do remember feeling the need to be at the hospital at all times.
The following year or so were sometimes difficult. He had mood swings which were attributed to the injury sustained in the football accident. To this day I can bring up something that he does not remember at all. I didn't realize at the time how difficult it must have been for him, and to this day I do not know what he went through. The frustrations he must have felt are unknown to me and for that my heart breaks. I was just the teenage girl who drove him crazy. For a while he dated my best friend. This came in handy at times and at others were difficult. But they were as in love as any teenage couple could be.
As I side note, that same girl is still one of my dearest friends. I treasure her as much as ever.
During this time my brother and I became confidants. And while we weren't as close as we are now, those years as much as any before or since helped shape up into the adults we are today.
When my daughter was born, he was in North Carolina before I left the hospital. On the trip home from the hospital he introduced me to the music of the Indigo Girls and Van Morrison. It's funny now to look back and think that the very same music that I hadn't heard before, could now be the soundtrack to my life.
He is the father to the very best nephew ever born to anyone. This boy brings me joy that I cannot put into words. He makes me laugh until I cry, and I love him every bit as much as I love my own children.
Now we are adults and while you would think that our relationship should be grown up as well, to be honest it isn't at all times. Every once in a while I will receive a text message that, if sent by anyone other than him, would result in my never speaking to them again. Usually it says something like," Hey stinky what's up", and in return I will send one that says, "Nothing goober, what's up with you." Once in awhile they become more colorful, but I am trying to keep this blog p.g. rated, and so that is all I am sharing for now.
His last visit to North Carolina was for the memorial service of our beloved Step-Father. Mom and Jimmy married when we were still young children and so in many ways it was like saying goodbye to another father. It was so hard for me and I know for him as well. I cannot put into words how it felt for him, when I became overwhelmed, to simply put his hand on my shoulder. He was once again, as he always has been, my big brother. We were there to comfort each other, this time as adults saying goodbye to a parent, instead of mending a bruise.
Today is his 35th birthday, and just this afternoon while checking to see if I had any comments on my last blog, I noticed that I had a "follower". Excitedly I clicked to see just who it was. As it loaded I thought to myself,"Who could it be? My Dad? I know that he has been reading my posts, or maybe it was one of my FB friends." No, My follower was of course my big brother. He was there rooting for me when I didn't even know that he knew I had started this blog. My big brother who has been next to me through every step in life. The big brother I adore and wouldn't trade for anything in the world.
So HAPPY BIRTHDAY BIG BROTHER...
I hope your dreams take you to the corners of your smiles, to the highest of your hopes, to the window of your opportunities, and to the most special places your heart has ever known.
I love you always and forever, your stinky little sister, Anneliese(panapizza)
One of these people with whom I share actual DNA is my big brother. Growing up, he was always just the big brother, and I was the stinky little sister. I'm sure that I drove him crazy most of the time. I remember one time trying to make him respect my stuffed animals (my dearest friends) and not understanding why in the world he would ever feel the need to throw one of them. Such disrespect.
In our pre-teen years we would have squabbles just as my own children do these days. He would get upset that my long dark hair had once again clogged the shower drain, and he would in turn be upset that I had danced on his, oh so cool water bed with my friends during a sleepover. He was still my big brother.
To this day I can remember the fear that took over my body while I sat in the backseat of the car, while following the ambulance that he was in. The neighborhood boys were playing football in the street and he and one of his opponents hit head on at full speed, my brother flew through the air landing straight on the top of his head. The seizure that followed resulted in the trip in the ambulance. I can't at this time remember exactly what I was thinking, but I do remember feeling the need to be at the hospital at all times.
The following year or so were sometimes difficult. He had mood swings which were attributed to the injury sustained in the football accident. To this day I can bring up something that he does not remember at all. I didn't realize at the time how difficult it must have been for him, and to this day I do not know what he went through. The frustrations he must have felt are unknown to me and for that my heart breaks. I was just the teenage girl who drove him crazy. For a while he dated my best friend. This came in handy at times and at others were difficult. But they were as in love as any teenage couple could be.
As I side note, that same girl is still one of my dearest friends. I treasure her as much as ever.
During this time my brother and I became confidants. And while we weren't as close as we are now, those years as much as any before or since helped shape up into the adults we are today.
When my daughter was born, he was in North Carolina before I left the hospital. On the trip home from the hospital he introduced me to the music of the Indigo Girls and Van Morrison. It's funny now to look back and think that the very same music that I hadn't heard before, could now be the soundtrack to my life.
He is the father to the very best nephew ever born to anyone. This boy brings me joy that I cannot put into words. He makes me laugh until I cry, and I love him every bit as much as I love my own children.
Now we are adults and while you would think that our relationship should be grown up as well, to be honest it isn't at all times. Every once in a while I will receive a text message that, if sent by anyone other than him, would result in my never speaking to them again. Usually it says something like," Hey stinky what's up", and in return I will send one that says, "Nothing goober, what's up with you." Once in awhile they become more colorful, but I am trying to keep this blog p.g. rated, and so that is all I am sharing for now.
His last visit to North Carolina was for the memorial service of our beloved Step-Father. Mom and Jimmy married when we were still young children and so in many ways it was like saying goodbye to another father. It was so hard for me and I know for him as well. I cannot put into words how it felt for him, when I became overwhelmed, to simply put his hand on my shoulder. He was once again, as he always has been, my big brother. We were there to comfort each other, this time as adults saying goodbye to a parent, instead of mending a bruise.
Today is his 35th birthday, and just this afternoon while checking to see if I had any comments on my last blog, I noticed that I had a "follower". Excitedly I clicked to see just who it was. As it loaded I thought to myself,"Who could it be? My Dad? I know that he has been reading my posts, or maybe it was one of my FB friends." No, My follower was of course my big brother. He was there rooting for me when I didn't even know that he knew I had started this blog. My big brother who has been next to me through every step in life. The big brother I adore and wouldn't trade for anything in the world.
So HAPPY BIRTHDAY BIG BROTHER...
I hope your dreams take you to the corners of your smiles, to the highest of your hopes, to the window of your opportunities, and to the most special places your heart has ever known.
I love you always and forever, your stinky little sister, Anneliese(panapizza)
1 comment:
AWWWW...I love your big bro too! And I can remember clearly that trip to the hospital...and how we got him out in time to go to Disney in a wheelchair...that we ditched halfway thru the night. Fun times. And I'm so glad that I am one of the peeps your family adopted over the years.
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