Happy Birthday "Pee Wee"

Today is my youngest brother, Rex's, birthday.There was never a mix up on this day. His birthday was never changed. We were both adopted together. I always felt that was nice for both of us. We had someone to connect to in our new surroundings. Having other siblings and being old enough to remember our family might have made the transition more difficult if we hadn't had each other.

Of course, like most older sisters, I was a little mother to him. Soon, he would no longer need me to take care of him. Well, except for the occasional bully on the school bus. You see, Rex was so much smaller then other kids his age. My mom called him "Pee Wee" (that was back before "Herman" of course). I think when he was 14 he weighed 79 pounds. By 16 he sprouted up and was eventually 6 feet tall. We were very close when we were kids. I haven't seen my brother in probably 14 years and have not probably even spoken to him more then four times in that period.

We grow up and start our own families and start running the "rat race" and time passes and we start to wonder where the time went. It doesn't lessen our love but it's just the way life is. Oh, what about "absence makes the heart grow fonder"? You know that old saying is true. Maybe that's why I still love my brother. If he lived next door we probably wouldn't be able to stand the sight of each other. But now the fact is he probably wouldn't recognize me and I might not him. Of course you might get him to say he's aged but I just know he doesn't really believe it.

We are perfect examples of children being as different as night and day. I was the responsible, uptight, insecure one and he seemed to go through life with all the self confidence and charm that can't be learned or taught. You have to be born with that. I was the caretaker and people pleaser and he could care less if you liked him or not. Actually, he assumed everyone liked him, because, how could they not? If someone didn't like him he knew he could change that. All he had to do was turn on the charm. Oh brother, was he good at that. When he was as young as seven I remember the "cousins" all talking and we all knew he would grow up to be a preacher or car salesman. I think preacher was a little too mellow and laid back for his style. Guess you know what that means.

Happy Birthday to my brother. I hope you have many, many more. Mostly, I hope someday you'll be able to celebrate with all your children and really be able to appreciate them. Sometimes, all we have to show for our lives, are our children.