Charity Never Faileth: Brothers and Sisters

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about my mother. Tonight I have been thinking about my brothers and their families. I love my brothers. They are always there for me, always checking up on me, never say no to me, always bend over backwards to help me...I could go on and on about them.

As you all know my mom turned 80 a couple of weeks ago and we had planned this big surprise party for her. They turned their lives upside down to go down and help me get things ready. My oldest brother, who is a die hard fan of jeans and tshirts even blew my mind by showing up in dress clothes and a shirt and tie!! He taught me to ride a bike, tie my shoes, taught me how to skate, and how to play ball like a boy

I had made a dvd of mom's life (my first attempt at an actual dvd not just a video) and my youngest brother just helped me set it up with my laptop and projector. Although I am sure he rolled his eyes inside his head he was just very patient at helping me set it up and fix it when I freaked thinking I had lost it.

One of my brothers just quietly took over the kitchen at the hall getting brunch going for everyone. I watched my two youngest brothers playing with their young children, making a puzzle, reading stories..made me smile inside and out. They have been blessed with wives who are strong independent women (sound familiar?). My oldest brother's wife Leanne...well I have known her almost as long as I have been alive. She used to be my babysitter when my children were not much more then babies so we have been friends forever. We never run out of things to talk about..usually about our husbands and how although they may be getting older they refuse to grow up.

My next brother's wife Hilary is a gem straight from England. She rides a motorcycle in leathers and whacks Keith when she thinks he is bugging me too much :-) How can you NOT love someone like that.

My next brother's wife has turned my brother around for the good. Together they purchased the cabin at the lake where my parents had built the site from scratch. When my dad died, mom had to sell it. Years later the new owner wanted to sell it and asked my mom if anyone in the family wanted to take it back and this brother and sister in law did. They'll never know the peace and comfort that gave me.

My youngest brother's wife is an OR nurse. Last couple of years every time I went in for surgery I would be in the OR trying not to hyperventilate at the thought of not waking up and I would just tell the OR nurses there that if I didn't wake up my sister in law would come and kick their butts. That always broke the ice and it must have worked because I always woke up. She was the one that told me she thought I had Lyme's Disease and when I went to get tested sure enough I tested positive.

Together they make the world's best brothers and sisters. My brothers protect me and I love my sisters in laws as if they were truly my sisters. And the best part??? They don't care how many hugs and smooches I give them nor how many times I tell them I love them :)

In this picture my brothers are as follows top row: Richard (2nd youngest) Norman (youngest) Daniel(brother next youngest to me), bottom row Claude (oldest brother), my mom and me of course.