To my brother

Dear Greg,

Well, where to begin?  It seems like yesterday that Dad and Mom told me they weren't naming you what I wanted them to: Billy Bob Bunny. What can I say? I was four.

Mom told me you're getting your senior pictures taken today. I can't believe it. I know we're only four years apart, but there are days that I feel so much older and days that I feel like it's so much closer. We're both in our senior years, but high school for you and college for me.

I know you'll probably never read this, but Greg... I'm glad you're my brother. We may have had our issues in the past (and sometimes we still do), but you're the best brother a girl could ask for. Who else would text me to say we're going to get the special edition of a video game or call me just to ask when I'm coming home? To tell me that you like my Big Bang Theory bulletin board?

I miss hanging out with you when I'm at school. Really, I do.  It still hasn't fully hit me that you're starting to look at colleges. I can't believe it. I remember the day when you got stitches in your forehead and the nurse was godawful. I remember you getting your first guinea pig. Your mouse. Your cat. The Pokemon phase that turned into a Digimon phase that turned into a Yu-Gi-Oh phase.

I love coming home to see you because I know you'll always have a funny story about school or work, imitate Dad, etc.  I remember when you dressed up like a girl (from wearing a pair of Mom's jeans - how you fit into them I'll never know to shoving two juggling balls in your shirt) so we could prank Dad and he didn't realize it was you for a good ten seconds.

I'm so glad we've resolved so many of our issues. It means the world and more to me that I have an awesome relationship with my not-so-little brother.

I remember you falling into the pond when we thought it was sturdy enough to hold you. Guess the ice wasn't thick enough, huh?  That same winter when you lost a boot in the snow, and we had to walk up the hill.  That was fun to explain to Mom.

So, Greg, thanks. Thanks for being an awesome brother. I'm going to miss this when you go off to college and I'm either in grad school or back at home with Dad and Mom.

Love,
Cary