I'll try not to get too sentimental when discussing my siblings. We are not a sentimental bunch. I have one younger biological sister named Megan. When my mother remarried the marriage brought along another Megan, also younger than me. Both girls sharing the same middle name, as well. This prompted years of referring to them simply as "Megan R." and "Megan K." due to their respective last names. It was a small calamity. Years later, I met the girl I would go on to be engaged to and can you guess her name? That's right. It almost caused me not to talk to her, but she was an insisting little thing.
My father remarried to a woman who had four children. Two boys, two girls; all older than me. So, let's get this dynamic. At my mother's house (she had custody), I was the oldest. When I went to stay with my dad, I was the youngest. The brother closest to my age (5 years my elder) used to beat the ever-living hell out of me for fun. He thought that was playing and I sincerely believe he thought I enjoyed. To be honest, I don't back down easily and am not the sanest of all people when it comes to pain, so yeah I probably did enjoy it to some degr
ee. The funny thing about it, in retrospective, is that the oldest brother used to beat on him when I was getting knocked around. You know what though? I'm grateful for all of it. It makes great conversation at family outings and it made me one tough s.o.b. Besides, I got my brother a few times when he least expected it and I'm pretty sure I could take him now. I also think he knows it.Those two guys are not only great brothers, but great friends. We have helped one another through way too much to convey in this simple blog. We've also had some pretty big rumbles in the past, but family means pulling it together. In the case of the aforementioned brother who used to bash my face in, as we got older he hit a few rough spots that put a definite strain on the close relationship we had developed over the years. He got into some trouble and, at times, was not the kindest person to the little brother who had looked up to him for years. I stuck around and we weathered that storm. Despite what the world throws at you, the fact remains that we are brothers. Bruce Springsteen said it best in Highway Patrolman, "I catch him when
he's strayin' like any brother would, man turns his back on his family, he just ain't no good." The oldest brother and I were not as close when I was younger, due to the fair amount of distance between our ages. During my senior year, we began to get a lot closer and had some epic battles in Madden Football. He also always gave my friends and I a place to hang out. He's a fun guy, a great guy.My sisters from that marriage are two wonderful ladies who have not only give me the pleasure of being a part of their lives, but have also given me wonderful nieces and nephews. I know that since I have moved to Columbus I don't get to see all of you as much as I would like to, but you are always in my thoughts and more importantly in my heart. There is no hyphenation in front of that. DNA and blood does not define that.
My sister from my mother's marriage is quite the unique story. When we were kids, I thought she was a lot like my other little sister....a little bratty snot. Coincidentally, my two sisters must have thought this way about one another, as well. They were two typical girls; playing one minute and at each other's throats the next. There was one time where I saw them have a knock-down, all-out brawl over Barbies when they were 9 years old. I was something like 12 or 13 and they just tore into one another while I stood there laughing. My stepfather came rushing in, pulled them apart, and put them in separate rooms. Then, he asked me why I didn't do anything to stop it. My reply, "'Cuz it was hilarious." Needless to say, I got in the most trouble that day for litera
lly not doing "anything." When my stepfather passed away, my sister lost her father. We both went through a moment in life that was like no other we had ever had to deal with previously. Looking back, that time in our lives changed a lot of things, but more importantly I believe it brought us a lot closer. I feel closest to her when discussing that time. One year, I bought her Dave Eggers' A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, because I felt that was the first time I had read something that helped me cope in a way other than depression. Since then, she is my favorite person to buy for during Christmas and, although this might get me into trouble, she always gets the most well thought out gifts. Ones that are personal to me and I know she will value.This brings me to the biggest pain in my ass; my biological sister. The girl who once called me a "dick" during an argument (which admittedly I provoked). During said argument, she went on to get so angry that she kicked a drawer in the house and broke it. She then proceeded to scream at me, because she kicked the drawer and was going to get busted. Megan locked herself in her room until my parents came home and she heard them yelling at me. She walked out to find me taking the blame for the drawer. After I was berated and grounded, I turned to walk to my room (and my newly appointed sentence there) and smiled at my sister. That story sums up our relationship. That and the one where we had a lemon fight in the house and then spent twenty minutes hurrying to get lemon stains off the wall before our parents returned. She is my best friend. I miss her every day. Over a year ago, she called to tell me that she was pregnant. Fast forward awhile later. I have the coolest nephew of all time. He is awesome and he loves his uncle. I'm fairly certain he loves me more than his own mother. Yeah, I'm full of shit. Regardless, my sister and that little man bring more smiles to my world on a daily basis than most things. All it takes is a simple glance at a picture or a welcome Skype conversation.
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