Have you ever wondered where you would be in life, if one thing had gone differently? You know, if something in the beginning of your life had been changed, would you still be the same person? Well, being a sister is one of those things that I KNOW changed me, and for the better... and here is why.
I was eight when I became a sister. But it was so much more than that. I had a new little brother but mixed up in that I got my best friend. My biggest supporter. (He sat through way more cheer competitions and dance recitals than a young boy should have to face.) And my biggest pain in the butt... (the kid still to this day, waits for me to complain about a bruise and then flicks it!) and yet the good definitely out weighs the bad! Everyone else growing up was fighting with their sibling... not me. I was fiercely protective of him and when things aren’t going his way, I am ready to fight the world. Mom will tell you that when he was a baby I followed everyone around the house because I was worried someone was going to drop him. I mean... I was the size of a toothpick and he was the size of a bowling ball... no idea what I thought I was going to do if they did drop him... but it’s the thought that counts right?! It’s probably where I got my fast reflexes and why I loved being a cheer coach. Catching flying humans was definitely in the job description! But fact of the matter is, I am who I am because of my title as sister. Some of the best things I have learned, I learned from him, even if he didn’t know he was teaching me.
The biggest blessing at this point is... being a big sister is like being Mom #2... or at least it was for me. Granted I think the age difference had a lot to do with it. Who needs barbies when you have a real baby to dress up?! But really, learning to care about others started early in my life. It probably effected my choice in professions and now who I am going to be as a mom. - If you didn’t know, Tyler and I are having a baby of our own in October, and somewhere inside of me, I should probably be a little scared about our first. But I know that we can do this. Because I was raised and learned from the best growing up.- I think it changed me as a wife as well. I learned that putting someone else first is actually a really easy thing to do, if you truly love them.
And this whole baseball life I am living... he prepared me for that too. Weekends at the ballpark, sitting on bleachers, and adjusting my metabolism to endure all the junk food. Keeping snacks and wet wipes in my backpack all started somewhere... well that's where! We may be having a girl... but whatever she decides to do in life, I’m going to be a really dedicated team mom one day. At 15, I was painting all star signs and filling water jugs. I was the team photographer and could tell you exactly what gatorade color each boy wanted from the concession stand between games. His friends and teammates became my little brothers too... and they have all enriched my life in their own ways. I stay ready for a good rainy day game... umbrella always in my bag (also useful in the Texas sun). Either way you look at it... I am ready to excel in whatever sport or activity our little girl throws my way... if it's indoor, that's just a plus!
Y’all, I’m so. freakin. proud. I don't know if you know what it feels like to be proud of someone other than yourself... (I don't mean that in a bad way! If you got that promotion, good for you!! Be proud!!) but it is crazy how much more it means when you can watch someone else accomplish something and know that they did it all on their own. My heart swells just thinking about the person he is becoming. He is playing juco baseball, contributing to charity events, and still manages to tackle school. The kid that I used to pick up from the junior high now takes college classes on his own (even though he still calls for math help and paper editing sometimes) and he does it pretty successfully. And even though he is all grown up and he doesn’t need me to teach him how to run fast, do flips on the trampoline, or write poems for his 8th grade English class anymore... the hardest thing I ever did was leave him. Getting married and moving with Tyler is the best decision I have ever made. I am so incredibly happy... yet my heart still broke... and it does a little more every time I leave. He may be the ultimate smart a**. He may ask for money when he knows he has more hoarded in his bank account than I have in mine. And I imagine even if he did something pretty stupid, I would still love him more for all of it.
So I used to be the “big” sister... but let’s be real, now I’m just the older sister. He surpassed me in size a while back and he doesn’t call me sissy anymore... he outgrew that a long time ago too, but that’s okay because it means that he is growing up. One day he was little and then one day he wasn’t. And as hard as it is to see... it makes me so grateful to have been a part of it all. And if our little girls turns out to be half the person that he is, I would call us successful.
So little brother... I have learned that being your big sister is the best thing that has ever happened to me. You have changed me more than you will ever know. I’m a proud sister, regardless of what you do or where you live. Being a big sister is my favorite thing I have ever done... and I didn’t even make the decision to be one. So thanks mom and dad for giving me the gift of being a big sister. I’m better for it!