Mark and Mike

This is the week of my brothers' birthdays. They are 8 and 10 years older than me, so our dynamic is a little different, but it's perfect for me. I got to enjoy being the only girl and the baby (translate - spoiled rotten). These two jokers are responsible for a great deal of my personality!

10 Things I Learned from My Brothers

1. Take care of your siblings. They helped me out big time when mom washed my mouth out with soap for saying 'fart'. That is the worst taste ever and it's hard to get out.
2. If it's worth doing, it's worth doing 80%.
3. Treat kids like they are on your level. Mike taught me about molecules when I was four, and I felt so smart. Plus I aced that part of the test in 5th grade when I learned about it for real.
4. Be bold in your faith and develop a faith of your own.
5. If you're gonna burp, burp loud. Then claim someone else did it.
6. Don't cuss (well I learned that from one of them and I'm not great at following it, but it's a good example).
7. Make lots of cleverly disguised inapporpriate comments and sexual innuendos at the dinner table and see who catches on.
8. Give big hugs.
9. You can trick kids into doing all the hard work by 'sending them on a mission.'
10. If your parents tell you not to do something, don't do it in front of them.
    

When I watch my two sons, I'm often reminded of my two brothers. Like them, I hope that Blake and Dane grow up to be faithful men of God, successful in their work, and supporters of each other. And maybe they'll go on a motorcycle trip of their own up the coast of California, and pose for a picture just like this.