Baby Brother’s Birthday Weekend!
I’m sure all (er–most) siblings are fond of each other, despite any sibling rivalry or what have you that may exist. In our family, I was a sort of “mommy” to the most amazing little brother’s. I have no clue how they were able to support a family of 5 battling language and cultural barriers all while maintaining their own small businesses. I have such a profound respect for them. Despite these hardships, we all pulled our own weight and made it work. Today, my one brother works for a large corporation in Seattle, and the other one is now finishing off his freshman year at college. They’re not so little anymore but somehow, I still see them (in my mind) as rambunctious little boys, one or the other terrorizing each other, their cheeks flushed from running around and one or the other always with a great smear of chocolate (or mud) across their faces and their tubby little bellies poking out coming to me for all of their little emergencies that needed tending to. When I think about growing up in our crazy house and the strange and beautiful family that God blessed me with, it makes me smile and tear up at the same time.
My brother in Seattle won’t be here to eat any cake that I want so badly to bake for him on his special day. I can’t, even for a second absorb the realization that he is now a man. So autonomous he is that again, it makes me want to tear up. I’m so very proud of him and his accomplishments and then I also realize that Seattle is across the entire Nation, so very far from where we are. I don’t know if personally that I would have established myself so well so far from everyone and everything I grew up with. I love you, Daniel!!!
Did I mention that their birthdays are a single day apart? Crazy, huh?
My baby brother actually came up to surprise us this past weekend. I seized the opportunity to fatten him up. We ate our way through the weekend.
Blackberry cupcakes with cream cheese frosting
Blackberry push pop cakes to share with his friends
“Birthday cake” oreo ice cream cake
I love you, David!
I dropped him back off at school today 
and of course, it started snowing. I captured the calm before the storm here. Prettiness captured above lurched into a monstrous beast during the drive back home. The lonely long stretch of highway tested our faith—you couldn’t see anything in front of you it was so dark and the snow (of course, lol) had to beat down fat flakes towards the car. From my estimation, there were about a half dozen cars trapped in the icy snow on either left or right shoulder–lots of accidents and blaring ambulance sirens
but it didn’t bother this man onnnne bit!
or me (3 hours before)
idk what I’m doing here. If I weren’t me and I saw this picture, I’d guess that this person was doing half jumping jacks in the snow because she’s excited about the first snowfall of the year.
Makes me want snow cream!! ^.^
Missing my strange and beautiful family together
…amidst snow flurries,
Love,
Your Squishy Monster
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