FOUR WEEKS!

These days, when you ask Logan about his Unc, (My brother, Austin) he’ll tell you that he’s in Afghanistan fighting bad guys. He’ll also excitedly tell you that Unc will be home in FOUR WEEKS! I don’t think that Logan quite understands what four weeks looks like, but he can tell from all the grown-ups in his world that it must be a short period of time and we can start being excited about it. I think he’s right. We are ALL excited about it. We all have our own reasons to be excited, but for one reason or another, we’re all happy he’s coming home.

In my world, my brother Austin is like Jasper Hale.

What? You don’t know Twilight? Lame. Okay, fine, let me explain.

Jasper Hale has this awesome ability to sense and manipulate the emotions of those around him. It’s like his power. They all have one. Keep up.

Anyway, Austin, while not a vampire, somehow ended up with this same ability. The beauty in Austin’s power, though, is I don’t even think he understands he possesses it.

But, he does.

Have you ever met one of those people who make it damn near impossible for you to be in a bad mood when you’re around them?

That’s my brother.

When I think I’m about to lose my mind from pure exhaustion and then someone tells a stupid joke that leaves me no choice but to laugh hysterically at the pure ridiculousness of it.

That’s my brother.

When I want desperately to be mad or upset or dramatic about something that probably won’t be that big of a deal tomorrow, but instead I end up making inappropriate jokes about the situation, often at someone else’s expense.

That’s my brother.

When I forget for a minute that there is always a reason to laugh, when I need someone to talk to who won’t let me take myself too seriously, when I start to think no one else’s brain works quite as fast as mine and I need someone to validate my useless crap…

That’s my brother.

Logan and Brodie are excited about Nerf Gun wars and silly songs they make up as they go. Jeremy is excited about war stories and beer. I’m excited about mid-morning coffee dates and long talks about nothing. Laughing so hard my stomach hurts. Smiling big, even when I don’t think I want to.

He might not be a vampire, but he is definitely my own brand of superhero.

He’s in Afghanistan fighting bad guys…and he’ll be home in FOUR WEEKS!!