It’s probably been difficult for you to read this blog and NOT know that I have a daughter, Cora, who is almost 2.  But today I have something to confess: I have other children.  One lives in Connecticut, two more live in Indiana, and another two live in Illinois.  I don’t get to see them much now that we live in San Antonio, but that doesn’t mean I love them any less.  Yes, my friends, I have five other kids that I often finding myself feeling proud of, happy for, and yet I haven’t talked about them much on this blog.  I call them my brothers and sisters.

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As the oldest of six kids, I often joke that I helped raise my younger siblings since my parents were obviously very busy with all of us running around like mad.  That’s not to say we weren’t all well-behaved, but we all played sports, and my youngest two siblings are still in high school, so the age difference is pretty significant.  After I left for college, I talked to all my siblings occasionally on the phone, saw them on weekends when I could, and made it to a few of their events when my schedule allowed.  But just recently my youngest brother finally got on the iPhone bandwagon, meaning that our entire immediate family can now group text.  I wish I could add all of you into this group text.  We share pictures of our dinners, projects we’ve been working on, and my sister Hadley has a gift for finding appropriate memes to accompany the conversation.  Sounds like something you would want to be a part of, right?

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As I’ve gotten older, and hence had my own (by birth) child, I find that I’ve only become more protective and proud of my siblings.  My brother Corbin recently shared a picture with us of some electrical wiring he has been laboriously working with in the house he’s been fixing up in his college town.  And it just hit me out of nowhere how much he’s grown over the past few years.  I still remember his obnoxious teenage years where he thought he knew everything.  And his ballet years when he absolutely nailed the lead role in The Nutcracker.  And it’s like that for all my siblings.  They’ve all grown up into such amazing people while I’ve been away.

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Kelsey is a passionate physical trainer in Illinois. Corbin is learning to become as business-savvy and handy around the house as my Dad.  Hadley is relentless in the pursuit of happiness while witnessing to others and playing volleyball in Connecticut.  Tenley is just in high school, but she takes a tougher course load than most college students, and I have no doubt is well on her way to changing the world.  And while the baby, Keenan, is heading headfirst into those obnoxious teen years his older brother experienced, he also has the sweetest heart and is the one who will text you just to tell you he misses you.

 

My point is, I love my siblings like they’re my own, and yet they’ve gone and grown up without my permission.  And I have a sneaky feeling Cora’s going to do the same to me.  I can only hope she turns out half as well as they have.

 

XO,

A