Birthdays

Last year was one of the best birthdays I have EVER had. It was mostly due to these two people.

My birthday is later in the year than either of theirs.

After last years shopping, dinners, VIP haunted house tours, presents, dinner, plantation tours, parades and the like I knew I was going to do something special for them this year.

Aug. was my Dad. He got a package of drawings from the kids (late). Today is Ryans. He got a lot of e-mail wishes.

As I was thinking about this last night I realized what I was watching.

This is my all time favorite show. They have been having marathons of past episodes which I have recorded and I have been watching every episode in anticipation of the new season.

Now, I'm pretty sure that the only reason I love a car related show is because of my Dad's race car driving genetics and my older brother constantly working on cars in the garage while we were growing up.

That got me thinking to how else they have both influenced my ways of thinking. I do expect all men to be able to fix any and all things around the house, I don't understand it when my cars break down (I guess I thought a magic fairy fixed them at night while I was growing up), I can break down and analyze any special effects movie and have been heard to say, 'the rain is crooked' to people who look at me like I'm nuts. I would never expect a man to get mad if a four year old leapt off the couch and landed in his lap. If you don't like the interior color of a car, the paint color of a room, the cabinets in your kitchen, or the way your yard is laid out then you are simply suppose to change, build, or fix it....by yourself. Brothers and sister are never suppose to fight and even if they get in trouble together as kids they are suppose to relate those stories at family get togethers for a good laugh while playing cards.

I think the best thing I have learned from both my Dad and my brother though is that you never give up on your family. Even if you make mistakes, even if times get tough, through the best of it and the worst of it you hold on, you say sorry, you go above and beyond what anyone would expect and you stick with them.

So, despite my lack of gift giving I wanted to say thank you Dad for still being here and having a relationship with us. I truly cherish it.

And thank you Ryan. You have always been the one to hold us together, you've always been the one I look up to, you have always been the one to sacrifice time, money, and self to make sure we are happy. Basically, you are irreplaceable. Happy Birthday.