a ramble and a half

Brein has always been someone for me to look up to. She always made me feel special by doing things like introducing me to Reba, having sleepovers with me after she moved out, letting me pick the music when we were driving in her teal Talon...ahh, those were the days.

I really couldn't pick a totally awesome or powerful memory of Brein. But she's always been my home away from home. When we moved to Canada we would drive back to Utah every summer and I would always stay with Brein. She made everything fun - and now, looking back, I realize how demanding I was on her. I expected her to have fun ideas of something to do each night, and I probably cost her lots of money - she would taking me out for fast food and movies, shopping, etc.

She used to have this electric back massager we liked to call "Mr. Tickles." Before going to bed we would take turns using "Mr. Tickles" (it sounds kinda dirty now...) to give the other a massage. She let me use her expensive shampoo and conditioner, her fancy razors (okay maybe she didn't know that?), her makeup and clothes...I absolutely loved rifling through her drawers when I would come each new summer to see what new items she had.

One time when I was around 6 or 7 I was reading about Mozart (I have no idea why), and I learned that he wrote his first pieces as young as 5 years old. In the book I was reading they had one of his pieces written down, just a little one page thing, I think. Well I knew Brein knew how to play the piano, so I went to her and asked her to play it for me. I was so excited to know what Mozart's little 5 year old head had come up with. Brein tried playing it for me (Bre, was the piano in your room in the gray house? Or is my memory lying to me?), but fumbled through most of it. I was somewhat disappointed that I couldn't get the full effect but I knew she tried for me. I guess I kind of put her on the spot...

Anyway. Brein: I love you. Despite there being 11 years between us we have always been friends.

------------------------------------------------------

When we were little Madi and I would fight like no other. Dad would tell us to be nice to each other because when we grew up we would be best friends - I couldn't believe him. That was before I realized that siblings could be your friends. Now that I'm old (soooo old), my siblings really are my best friends. Even if we don't keep up with each other 100% of the time, that doesn't matter. I know that if I needed to I could go to any one of my siblings and pour my shabby little heart out.

Thank you, siblings, for being so awesome. And Mom and Dad - you really outdid yourselves with us, didn't you? ;)