Oh, Brother...

If my muscles could scream, they would have done so this morning.

My brother decided he wanted to go for a "little run" yesterday morning. Like an idiot, I offered to go with him.

He's a Citadel Cadet.

I hate running, but I thought it would be fun for the two of us to run to the Dairy Barn and explore the Anne Springs Close Greenway that begins about a half-mile from my house. Bryn was trying to be nice and run at my pace...but I could tell he was itching to run faster than my short little legs could carry me. The freezing air in my lungs wasn't helping my pace, either. I gave Bryn directions to the Dairy Barn and told him I'd be right behind him.

Yeah, right. Evidently attending the Citadel has turned my brother into a gazelle.

We decided that walking through the Greenway would be much more enjoyable than running, so we walked and talked, enjoying the view along the way. We petted horses (and fed them long, green grass from our side of the fence), witnessed a crazy donkey attempting to kick a pregnant goat, saw a cute baby goat that couldn't have been more than a week old, and hiked through old Catawba Native land. Altogether, we spent two hours hiking about 5 miles.

Bryn and I got into a conversation about life at the Citadel...and I really enjoyed listening to funny stories about what he and his classmates do for fun. More than listening to his stories, I loved hearing him talk about leading by example and being the best Knob he can possibly be. He wants to be someone that everyone can depend on. He's a hard-worker and lives by the Citadel's honor code. He truly understands what it means to be a leader - and I'm so proud of him. Our little outdoor adventure made my day :)

Hey, Bryn - next time I see you, maybe I'll be able to run as fast as a gazelle (or at least as fast as Hobbes when he darts up the stairs). I love you!