Oh brother.................

As a child, this is the person who terrorized me most. I spent many a day being hung upside down and run around the house, he would dangle me over the toilet, put my clothing on the dog, and tickle me till I thought I was going to puke. You got it, he's my big brother. And I love him.

Not because of all the torture, mind you, but because he is my brother.And this is the woman who willingly chose to spend her life with him. She deserves a medal : ) She is my sister, by marriage, and I love her too. Although this is a horrible picture of her. You're welcome Lori.And here a product of the two. My beautiful niece who is exploring her talents in the theater and is genuinely a good person. Surprising to me that my brother had anything to do with her, she is so pretty!


And here is the reason for this entire post. My nephew. My 18 year old nephew. Wow, could that be possible for him to be 18 already? I suppose so, considering he graduated from high school last weekend. (I let emily take the picture, sorry it's so far away- if closer you would see that he is a well built, tall, handsome young man- with facial hair, yikes!) Despite the fact that he still plays on playground equipment, he is a talented young man who I know will do well with his life. And hopefully, in 6 years or so, he will produce a baby for me to love on. Someone must have a baby soon, or I'm gonna have to do it (my mom just had a stroke).

When this child was born, I was 16 years old. I had no idea what a gift it was to snuggle a newborn baby, to smell their sweet little necks, and squeeze their chubby little thighs. I held 'it', and I was happy he was safe and healthy, proud to be an Aunt, but I didn't get it. Not like I do now. Oh how I love me some babies.

Anywho- My brother and sister in law told me I couldn't ride with him in my car until I could go for a full 6 months without a wreck. He was a preschooler before I got to take him in my car : )

One of the first times I got to have him for the day, we played and whatnot and ended up at Roslyn Bakery for pecan tea cookies (his favorite), a giant smiley face cookie and a carton of chocolate milk. On our way to visit uncle dan at work, the kid puked it all up all over the backseat of my car. Being a non mother, I wanted to just abandon the car, and the kid, and get new ones. It was disgusting. At the gas station, when I attempted to clean it all up with windshield rags and a squeegie- he looked up and said "Aunt Mynde, I power puked". What a character.

I was young when he was born, and I wish I would have gotten to really savor the gift that having a baby nephew brings. But I was busy graduating myself, going to college, falling in love, marrying- you know, all that stuff. Because now, just a breath away it seems, he is grown up and getting ready to do all his twenty-something stuff. I can't wait to see where his life will take him.

And I'm proud of my big old brother for raising such a great kid.