For those of you who do not know, I have a little brother named Mark. I always call him my little brother, but he isn't really so little anymore. He is now 24 years old, with a full-time job and living on his own. So, I guess the right term is younger brother.
Anyways, he currently lives in Boston. Before moving to Boston in July, he spend 6 months in Greenville, SC. And before that, 6 months in Cincinnati, OH. And before that, 6 months in Connecticut. I think you get the point. For the last (almost) two years, he has been at least 3 hours from home and at most, 14 hours. I have come to the conclusion that, whether 3 hours away or 14 hours away, Mark is too far.
When we were younger, I remember thinking how annoying he was. It drove me crazy the way he always wanted to play with MY friends, and MY toys. He always wanted in my business and it drove me crazy. We fought, a lot. We yelled and screamed and hit and kicked each other. We had mean nicknames for each other- I called him "Rabver" (long story) and he called me "Train tracks" when I got my braces. We drove my parents crazy. As the older sibling, I always felt like I had to sacrifice things for him. Like I was expected to be the bigger person, just because I was older (even though I was still a kid myself). I remember wishing he would just go away.
But now that is he away, and we are all grown up, I wish he would just come back. I want him in my business, for us to share friends, and hang out together. I want to call each other names and drive our parents crazy. I wish for the time when my brother is in town. When he and my mom and dad and I are all together. There is no time I cherish more. Especially now that those times are so few and far between.
I am so thankful to have that once annoying, dorky little brother, who has grown into an amazing young man. I see the person he has become and it makes me proud. He is a hard-working, loving, hard-headed determined, loyal man, who would do anything for me. For our family.
I love my brother, my family, so very much. I hope that, one day, when I see my own children fight and call names and annoy each other, I can think of the times spent with my brother, and pray they become as close as my little brother and me.
Just a few of the most recent memories with my Markie
as a mom of 'kids' that are yours and Mark's ages, I LOVE this! I only hope that my kids, who are all living in different places, feel this way about each other!
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