Big Brothers Rule! (Thankfulness Challenge - Day 4)

I am thankful for my brother.

My brother is no longer with us, but he will always remain a part of me. I am so thankful to have had him as my big brother for the first 17 years of my life.

My parents immigrated from Korea in 1970 with hardly anything but the clothes off their backs. They worked tirelessly taking on two or more jobs at a time just to sustain our family and build a better life for us. My brother and I grew up as latchkey kids, and as a result of our life circumstances, he had to grow up fast. Even though he was only a year and a half older than me, he took on a lot of adult responsibilities, and took the role of big brother very seriously. There were times he liked to use it to his advantage, and it resulted in some crazy bouts of sibling rivalry which often drove my parents insane. But, there was never a time I doubted his love for me, and I'm sure he would agree that we had a great brother-sister relationship.

As his little sister, I wanted to follow in his footsteps so you would rarely find me playing with dolls or barbies. Instead, my brother and I would be building forts, shooting BB guns, playing with G.I. Joes or rushing home after school to watch Voltron and Robotech. Sam and Austin definitely owe it to my big brother for having a wife and mom who can actually a give them a run for their money at video games, and voluntarily watch The Military and History Channel. :)

I think of him often and value the many things he taught me as a big brother. He possessed many qualities that I greatly respect and admire, and in many ways, his influence has shaped me into the person I am today.

Through his example, he taught me:

• what it meant to be a leader.
• the importance of standing up for what you believe in.
• what it meant to be courageous.
• the importance of loyalty and pride toward family, friends and country.
• what it meant to take and accept responsibility for himself and others.

And just for fun, I thought I'd also add these to the list of things he taught me:

• to appreciate Elvis, the Beatles, and the music of the 50's
• how to drive a car
• how to bake
• how to handle and shoot a gun
• how to make homemade bullets
• and many other things that may surprise, frighten or disturb you! :)

I miss him a lot, but I am grateful for the many memories I have to share with others, and especially with Austin and Bethany. I know he would've doted over his only niece and nephew, and that he would've gotten along really well with his brother-in-law. I really think he and my husband would've become great friends, with the exception of the occasional friendly debate over current events. ;)

The neat thing is that I see similarities in Austin and Bethany's relationship, and honestly, I love it! She wants to do everything he's doing. Whether it be playing chase, fighting with their Nerf swords, or running and jumping around the house, she keeps up with him and can give him a run for his money just like her Mommy. :)

My prayer is that their relationship would be just as close as the one I had with my brother, and that it would last for a very very long time.

So far, I say it's looking pretty good, wouldn't you? :)

What are you thankful for?