Brothers...

I caught one of my five younger brothers online last night on chat. I asked how he was doing to start the conversation and an hour later we both had laughed and cried. A quick note about my siblings: I have six brothers and one sister and of my siblings, one has the same mom and the same father I have. He is no more special than any of my other siblings because of this, I am only trying to explain the dynamic of my family... ok, I better explain all of them.

My mother and father divorced when I was four, I was the oldest of my brother and I. Both my mother and father both re-married within a year and - Poof! I had a new older brother and sister. Another year later, I had two new baby brothers that were a month apart from each other. Seven years later, my mother divorced. She remarried several years later and Wala! Two more step brothers. My older brother and sister (yes, they were step...) brought the brothers together to explain our parents were having problems, and just because they decided they couldn't be family anymore, didn't mean we would stop being family... and we never have.

Back to Brothers...

My brothers have a great appreciation for family and what it means to be close even if the circumstances don't allow for daily or weekly conversation. I recently wrote about visiting my sister in California. My sister (ex-step sister, if it allows you to follow the dynamic outlined above) taught me how to ride a bike, was one of my primary caregivers when I was a toddler, and became my best friend at one of the toughest times in my life. It was my sister that gave me a foundation in the Bible and talked to me about the Lord (thanks Lori, this plug was for you!). Enough about my sister, back to my brother.

I am close with most of my brothers. We went through very tough times together and were there to comfort each other. When I was 10 I started doing my own laundry, cooking, and taking care of my brothers in the evenings after school. I did this until I was fourteen. Then by a decision of the court, one of my brothers and I moved to live with my father, while my younger brother (on my mothers side) moved to live with his father.

My family, in one giant snap, fragmented and my young brother of 8 years old, lost both of his older brothers and mother that he lived, up till then, with his entire life. The fracturing of our family was the hardest thing in my life I have ever had to deal with. I didn't feel it was my fault and I never placed blame on myself. But I did make myself responsible for making sure that no matter what our living arrangements were, my brothers were always going to be my brothers.

So. I chatted with one of my brothers online the other night and told him of my blog. A couple of hours later, shortly after midnight, the same brother emailed me. With his permission, perhaps I will post his email here, but his words strengthened me and echoed the words of our younger brother just a few days before.

To my brothers: Kingsley, Tom, Aaron, Willy, and yes, even to Keith and Jeff....
Half of you have the same family blood in your veins as I do, but it doesn't matter. The bond we share is one that is not to be taken lightly. Whether it's Lori or you guys, the bond we share transcends blood lines. Remember, if you need me, I will be there. Isn't that what family is for?

Yes. I believe it is.
I love you all.
Kev

Ahhh... A Refreshing Break. Then... BOOOM!

I just got back from spending some relaxing time with my sister and her family in Northern California. Weather was great, the snow capped mountains were beautiful, and the time spent with my sister and her family was well spent. It's been eight years since I last visited northern California. I drove out that time. From central Illinois to northern California was a 26.6 hour drive and I took a nap for 3 hours of that, other than that... straight thru. This time I made arrangments to fly out Bloomington, connecting in Chicago and then direct to Sacramento. From there, I would drive the 2.5 hours north to reach her place. However, I received a call from the airline at midnight on the day of my flight. My 6 am flight out of Bloomington had been cancelled due to damage to the plane. To keep my schedule, I drove to Chicago, and caught the plane I was suppose to catch anyway. I had to leave at 3 am, but it was worth it.

It was great to spend time with family and to catch up on who my nieces and nephew are becoming. They are all like... grown up! Makes me feel old, I remember being their age. Dang, if life doesn't seem to go faster the older you get.

On the flight back, my plane was struck by lightening. My life flashed before me in a flash of lightening. I was looking at the very flashing wing light from my middle of the plane window seat noticing that it was highlighting either snow or rain as it was getting darker outside.... and BAM, the wing flashed and burned into the retna of my eyes, simultaneously, making a thunderous boom and feeling the pressure of it. I thought the wing exploded. It took about 5 seconds for me to see the wing was still intact and to realize it must have been lightening. I literally jumped in my seat, drew my legs up and shielded my face with my arms as let out a loud "Ahhuhh!" sound that woke my napping neighbor in the middle and caused the 12 year old sitting in the isle seat to scream "SH-T", which made me laugh. 30 seconds later the very nice flight attendant came on the intercom system and announced there was no damage to the plane.

What a way to come home.