It is national sibling day. As the only girl in a family of four children, my three brothers have been a huge part of my life. They have made me tough, made me laugh, made me cry, and have been the reason behind my love of sports. I grew up going to basketball games every weekend, and playing horse in the back yard. I played hotbox, soccer, baseball, and pick-up basketball games at home with them. I ran hard and fast, and thought I was better than I was. They would even give me a controller for the Nintendo, so I “thought” I was dominating Contra or Mario Brothers. My brothers included me, and made fun of me if I threw like a girl.

Today, they are all married with beautiful kids, and I am so lucky to still be a part of their life. I fly in from my cloud surfing to make memories with my nieces and nephews, and to spend time laughing about all of our shenanigans.

My siblings and I argued. We went through mean stages, and happy stages.  They ate my pizza when I wasn’t looking, and they drove me to and from dance class. My younger brother may have had it the worst, because he had to go to basketball games and dance competitions. We all supported each other. I cleaned the showers and they mowed the grass (because I was allergic…insert laughing/crying emoji here). They threw me in snowbanks, and found every reason to pick on me. I used to laugh and cry about it, and now I am grateful that we shared that bond.

Life gets messy, and tough for all of us. Our sense of humor is what has bridged the gap in the tough times. When I was born, the boys were not happy. They did not want a sister, and I am pretty sure I always wanted a sister.

My oldest brother is a softy. He is big and kinda reminds you of Shrek. He could be mistaken for being tough, yet he has the biggest heart of us all.

My middle brother crosses all the i’s, and dots all the t’s. He is thorough, and isn’t the first one to take risk, accept that was his favorite board game as a kid.

My youngest brother is funny. His impersonations and his random text messages, keep us all on our toes.

Each one of my siblings is unique. They are all different, however we all share the same memories, and respect our differences. They can still make me laugh, or make me cry, and sometimes they can still make me mad. They call me out on my crap, and they allow me to spoil their kids. They are one-of-a-kind, yet you all know that, because your siblings are too.

None of us our perfect, and somehow my siblings are perfect for me. They are a part of my journey on this earth. We may not always get to see each other, and our lives have all gone in different directions, yet we will always be family. They still have a million jokes about me, and will be the first to make fun of my hashtags or selfie’s, but no matter what I know they have my back.

Thank you to my brothers who have made me stronger, taught me to laugh, put up with my jokes, and have helped me move a thousand times. Because of you I have gained three amazing sisters, and 12 nieces and nephews. You may not have wanted a sister, and now you all appreciate dance and dresses a little bit more.

Happy sibling day…