My Brothers

"The more I get to know you, the more you act like Rachel."

This is what my brothers friend said to him the other day. Wow. My brother has dealt with many comments like these and the feelings that go along with them since I've left. I'm not sure how he's still sane.

The older I get and the more I look at relationships, the more unique each one is. This is especially true for the relationship between brother and sister. It's a blessing really. There's the teasing, sharing secrets about your parents, a bit of mischief, what's said in the car stays in the car, the harmful truth, things you would never tell your parents, hurtful words thrown in anger and a deadly retaliation, annoying the heck out of each other, a few laughs here and there all with a little side of hate. Honestly. You know it's true.

Anyway, the people who I call my brothers I choose very carefully. They just brighten my day. There are also guys who don't call my little brothers, but are simply brothers in Christ, which are the best kind to have.

Johnathan
For those of you who know my brother, he's a hot mess. For real. And as weird as he is and as different as we are, there's a level of understanding between us now that cannot be compared to anything else.

Sam
I really feel like his older sister. I know he's got a lot of sisters, but really, that's the kind of relationship we have. And I usually end up getting him ice cream for some reason. I love it.

Will
Sometimes I feel like Will is a mini version of me. Ever find someone that you really just click with? That's him. The thing is, he is like my little brother because he's actually that young. And since he's a higher rank than me, he can totally beat me up.

Michael
When people need to be direct and get to the point and just say it. Reminding me of my own brother, Michael is someone I can count on to give me a different perspective of my day.

As important as these people are to me, and as the older sister (whether biological or not) I really do feel the bit of protective nature that comes with being the older sibling. For those of you older siblings, you can relate. The thing is, I know these people have my back. Sometimes I think I miss them more than just about anyone else.