Happy Birthday, Buddy!

On this day 19 years ago, my brother Bryn was born. I didn't know it then, but he would become one of my best friends in the entire world.

For the first 6 years of his life, I treated Bryn the way most big sisters treat their little brothers - I tortured him (partly because I was insanely jealous of him and partly because I was bigger than him). I used to pinch his nostrils shut when he was about to sneeze. I used to pin him down, straddle him, and tickle his chest with my chin. And the funny thing is - we have it all on video.

Then Bryn grew bigger than me. And the torture was returned ten-fold.

We fought about everything. I think one of the most frustrating fights for my parents when we got older was who got to sit in the front seat of the car. We were supposed to take turns, but there was always some reason why one of us felt jipped on our previous turn. We even used riding in the front seat as a bargaining tool with each other. I have no idea why, but it was a war that persisted until I was almost old enough to drive.

When I was 16 and Bryn was 12, we finally realized that fighting over stupid stuff was keeping us from having the best relationship with each other that we could possibly have. No matter what friends came in to and out of our lives, we would always have each other. Besides, it was easier for us to work together instead of against each other.

Bryn and I became very close during the summer before I went off to college. We spent a lot of our free time together and had the relationship I wish we could have always had. We had our normal sibling arguments every now and then, but I really regretted not spending more time with him while I had the chance. It killed me to know that I would miss so many important days in his life (his first day of high school, pitching in his first varsity baseball game, going on dates with his first girlfriend, his first prom). Although I feared that the progress our relationship had made would disintegrate when I moved 3 hours away, it only got stronger.

I spent most of my holidays home from school with Bryn. He took me hunting for the first time. He let me hang out with him and his girlfriend (whom I absolutely adore), he took me out on his boat, and we went to the beach a lot. I always hoped that my brother and the man I would marry one day could get along well and be friends. Bryn and Aaron are so much more than friends - they truly are brothers.

One of the hardest days for me was saying goodbye to Bryn a few days before he entered The Citadel as a Knob. I knew it would be the most physically, mentally, and emotionally draining experience of his life...and it scared me. I knew he would never give up no matter how difficult the circumstances became, but I also didn't want anyone to hurt him or be mean to him (which is pretty much the point of The Citadel; they break you all the way down and build you back up from ground zero). I broke down as we were saying our goodbyes, and he just hugged me and told me not to worry. "I'll be okay," he said. "You and Aaron just keep me in your prayers."

Now my little brother is a grown-up...and I couldn't be more proud of him. He's doing great at The Citadel. He works extremely hard (and plays hard, too!). I've watched his relationship with the Lord grow by leaps and bounds since August. He's a wonderful son, brother, friend, and boyfriend. He's everything I could have hoped for him and so much more.

So here's to you, Buddy, on your 19th birthday. You're such an inspiration to me in so many ways. I love you more than you could ever imagine and I'm so incredibly proud of the young man you've become. Keep up the good work and never give up. Keep chasing after the Lord and let Him continue to work in your life. Aaron and I love you so much!