Happy 16th Court

Just a special birthday shout-out to one of my younger brothers. He's 16 today!!

Here he is in Moab, Utah with the La Sal Mountains in the background. We'd gone on a hike up behind our grandparents' house, and I'd ended up venturing further with two of my brothers. At one point, the two of them were scaring me as they tried break the ice in a small (but deep) pool carved between the red rock... Ben was letting Court scoot out on the ice, but of course, big brother was holding on tight to little brother's hand, just in case.

Here is one of my other favorite pictures of him. I got my very first digital camera during my sophomore year of college. I happened to get it the end of May on the day I was heading back to my hometown for beginning-of-summer picnic. Courtney joined me for this picnic, and he quickly became the subject of my first digital photo shoot! I'd post the other pictures, but they incriminate him for picking peoples' wishes out of the fountain (wishes = coins)... But I'm sure I would never have let him keep those coins... Maybe when he threw them back in, he gave the wishes a double chance of coming true! :) This brother of mine makes me laugh.

I talked to him for quite a while last night on the phone. I miss that kid like crazy. I've never been so far away from him for so long. The other night, I was looking back over pictures of our past, looking for the best birthday pictures to post of him... I was reminded of his weekend trips to visit me in college. He was always trying to find a way to come and stay. He'd play games with my friends (a fun night of monopoly with Cherish and Lauren, a few rounds of random games with our crazy group of college friends). I've got a great picture of him throwing fireworks at some of our guy friends during a July 4th picnic Seth and I put together in the park one summer. They'd laugh and take it. Oh and my favorite, pictures taken before the digital (and left at my parents' home) of him being held down and tickled by Seth and Melissa, my best friend, during the weekend visit when he very first met Seth.

I don't remember all of my life, of course, who really remembers those faded moments of childhood? I don't have children of my own to remember all the memories of their lives... But Court's life, I remember. I remember when we found out Mom was pregnant. I remember being in 2nd grade when I got the news. I remember pushing him in his stroller through the gymnasium of the elementary school one afternoon after school. I remember how cute he was, how annoying he was, but how he was always my little brother, someone I have always been proud of, protective of, and loved.

He spent years playing soccer, achieved a championship at an international soccer tournament with his 3 v. 3 soccer team. He's wrestled for years now, too. And this year, he got 2nd in state, securing himself a seat for nationals his senior year. He's got a lot of people who are so proud of his accomplishments...

Last year, I worked in our hometown as a teacher at a local elementary school. I put him to work a few times, helping with the after school program, moving boxes in and out of my classroom, decorating our halls for a special celebration for our students. It was nice, though. Some days, after school, when I was still working with students, he'd come walking by the playground yelling out a hello with a wave. It was nice to see him so often, something I really miss.

So, Court, here's to the 16th birthday! You are an amazing brother and friend!! Oh, and enjoy the traditional birthday dinner... Please let them do the cake thing, even though we all know it's coming!