I think Congratulations are in Order!

I got a very exciting phone call from my brother last night...

Yes. That's right Ladies and Gentlemen!

Bryan and his girl Brittany are now engaged!

(I was especially happy when Bryan told me that he made the announcement in the traditional, Childs Children way...Tell Mom and Dad first, and then just throw it out in the middle of family dinner and see who was paying attention. Good Form, Bryan! Good Form! Except I think we have to be careful because I worry that Grandma and Grandpa will stop inviting us...)

Oliver J. and I have been talking about it all day.

We've been discussing Bryan...and dirt bikes, of course. We have practiced Ollie's pronunciation of Brittany, and Oliver has taken to pointing out Bryan along with the Grandmas and Grandpas every time he walks past the family pictures in our stairway.

... 

I have to tell you that I really love my brother.

He's a pretty great guy, but we weren't friends for a long time.

I think that the tides changed for our relationship when Bryan got his driver's license and started chauffeuring me to ballet lessons for my mom. I think he might have hated it, but it forced us to spend time together in his truck. Sometimes there was conversation, but mostly we were listening to entirely inappropriate music together...and often at entirely inappropriate volume levels.

We had fun. He was cool. And it was comfortable.

(It must be noted that the girls in my ballet classes seriously thought he was the most attractive brother to grace the studio...)

Since then, he has been the best. He takes Heather and me out to movies. He spoils Andre. He feeds us his favorite foods. He gives thoughtful and generous gifts. He loves my baby, and has befriended my husband. He even says "I love you" if I say it first...

I'm happy that he has found someone to love, and to love him in return. She makes him so happy. And I'm really looking forward to getting to know her better myself.

...

Our Bryan and Brittany lesson came full circle when Oliver came up to me and informed me that this little friend was Bryan:

 You can see the resemblance can't you?