Mark

So what do these two photos have in common?

One amazing brother--that's what!

Meet Mark, if you don't know him already.

Mark is my youngest brother and great friend! I am sure being the last kid of the bunch has had it's advantages and disadvantages but for me Mark is the greatest younger sibling our family could ever have! Not only is he a smart, successful, hardworking, and playful man he is also an extremely generous and thoughtful individual to all those around him! I have loved being a recipient of Mark's uncanny way of making one laugh and feel loved and accepted when being around him. What a blessing he has been in my life!

So why this post, well today I woke up thinking of him. My mind has raced back to our old house when he would scoot along the cement in our backyard with a baseball bat in hand hitting a ball. Mark was amazing that way, before walking he was able to do so many things I have yet to see another child do. I also thought of how his diaper would always looked like a tire around him because of how active he was and how the diaper would just have to adjust itself so Mark could do all the crazy things that he did. I remember my siblings and I dumping him into a plastic toy shopping cart and racing him down the hallway at break necking paces and him being dumped out and just laughing and allowing us to do it over and over again! I remember how special Mark was to our family (and still is of course) and how protective I was of him when he was young.

Now as time has past and I have "grown up" I have found more times than not Mark taking care of me! Roles have reversed and Mark has become such an example to me of how to give unselfishly and often! A great example of this was on Shay's birthday a few weeks ago. Shay wanted to get a Wii/video console for his birthday. I went online to read about which console would be best to purchase. That in itself was SO overwhelming to me. Gamers definitely have their opinions of which was THE best.....I also tried desperately to get a hold of Mark to get the low down on what he thought we should get (Mark is really into technology and always is a great source to go to for advice). Unfortunately I was not able to contact him, nor my B.I.L. Dan (whom also is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to technology) to find out which would be the best option for us....so Shay and I ended up going, on his birthday, to Best Buy to purchase a Wii. When we got there the sales lady proceeded to try and sell us on a Play Station. Since Shay and I are NOT major gamers (but do enjoy playing, every once in a while, a game when we are with friends) we found the information she was spouting at us overwhelming and daunting. We then left Best Buy deflated and unable to make a decision. Then we decided to try and call Mark again (Shay also knows what a treasure box of knowledge Mark is when it comes to technology). This time I was successful in contacting him. I was relieved to be able to dump the massive amount of information we were given at Best Buy only to have Mark quickly dismiss 95% of it....leaving us both more relaxed. Then Mark, in his generous and canny way, quickly adds...."Don't buy a Wii you can just have mine. I don't ever use it anymore and you might as well have it." Of course we fought on the phone about this and then about how much I will be paying him for it....and I will be paying! ;-)......and then hung up the phone to share with Shay what he had said. Of course Shay was as humbled and full of gratitude as I was. We discussed how generous Mark has been to us, and all of my family members over the years. We couldn't help but express our feelings of appreciation and love we have for Mark! What was more shocking was the package I encountered the following Tuesday (only a few days after our conversation). Mark had immediately sent it....and not only that but with more accessories than I even knew he had (I had come home early from school to tutor when I found it. The boy I tutored spent some time explaining to me what each piece was, what it does, and how cool it was to have all of it). It was perfect timing. We had wanted to play a specific game at Shay's birthday party that upcoming Saturday and with it coming on Tuesday we had plenty of time to set it up and have it ready! It was a blast to play as well!

That is just a small example of the many things Mark does for others. He doesn't do it to be seen of others (and I am sure this post will embarrass him--sorry Mark but it is all true!), but I really do feel so grateful to him today and hope, in so many ways, to "grow up" and be more like him!

Mark is the best youngest brother

a sister could ever want!

THANK YOU FOR BEING THE MAN

AND EXAMPLE YOU ARE TO ME!

Love ya Mark!