I like these guys quite a bit.

These are my brothers. I adore them.


I was browsing through all my pictures a few weeks ago looking for ones to order prints of, and I came across this photographic gem of Scott, me, Burke, and Cam. Alexis took it for us on Thanksgiving 2006, which, as far as I can remember, is possibly the last time the four of us got to hang out together. That's a depressingly long time ago, so I'm hoping that there has indeed been another time since then that I'm just forgetting. (This picture now sits on my desk at work, prompting all sorts of student questions, a standout being, "You guys all look high. Are you high?")

Unfortunately, and much to the dismay of our parents, we live in the four corners of the U.S. - Washington, California, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina. This means that our time together is mostly by phone and fairly limited. Despite that (or possibly because of it), I love them to pieces and when I think about them, sometimes it makes me a little teary-eyed because I think they're so great. I sort of idolize Scott and recognize that he has set an unattainable standard of excellence for my future husband (there are indeed two links there, if you're looking for some specific examples), my friends joke that I have a crush on Burke because I get just a teensy-bit nervous when I see him (I realize this sounds very strange, and, admittedly, it is - but you know when you just think someone is really cool and you kind of want them to think you're cool, too? He was always the cool, laidback kid in high school that everyone liked....and even though I did have friends, I was kind of dorky and anal and...tall...), and the fact that Cam and I get along so well together is fantastic and sort of shocking, because I was kind of a brat to him as a child and he used to beat me up, but now he gives me insightful thoughts on things like boys and bruised foot bones, and I just think he's wonderful.

So when I saw that picture, I started thinking about the "sibling bond" - this wealth of shared memories, experiences, and mutual understandings that you cannot possibly have with anyone else. You spend, arguably, the most formative years of your life together and get to spend the rest of your life reminiscing about all the rad things you did as kids (forts, treehouse, family trips, etc.). This has become a particularly poignant and comforting feeling to me after moving to a new, unfamiliar place (i.e. California) where I was a total stranger to every single person in the state and no one had any idea what made me me. Point being, even though I'm pretty sure Scott, Cam, and Burke think I'm weird (Cam, August 2008: "You get weirder every time I see you."), at least they understand how I got that way. :)

So, brothers, I don't think you actually read my blog, so perhaps this is a wasted effort, but I love you! You make me happy and kind of giddy when I think about you.

P.S. To the rest of you, my brothers and I have, at various times, laughed as we envisioned what we will be like when the four of us are all old and decrepit. I suggest this amusing exercise to you and your siblings.