Herding Cats

"Only children are just...missing something." Not to put you down if you are one - I'm sure there are many benefits. But I have talked to enough only children (and spouses of only children!) to feel comfortable in this generalization. My last brother has at last finished high school last week. We had his party and all of us came from wherever we are to hang out for three solid days. It took us two hours to make cold cereal for breakfast what with everyone trying to get the other to do it and every sentance reminding someone else of a quote from a favorite family movie, prompting another to make some kind of wisecrack leading to a brief wrestling match leading to the winner attempting to convince the loser of their solemn duty to get out the breakfast bowls. I cried from laughing so hard.
     I cooked, drained, rinsed, oiled and packaged ten boxes of pasta. The single bathroom was always occupied at the wrong time. (Actually, it was always occupied. Period.) We took a family photo. (I think I should get an award for corralling eight cats, I mean people, and coercing them to behave and stand still multiple times "to get a good one!" and ensuring a semblance of color coordination. They think I should get an award for being bossy.) We caught up on seven diverse lives. (And all the lives of everyone connected in any way with any of those seven lives!) We managed to catch Pirates 4, consume almost four large pizzas, hit some baseballs, and make it home to bake and butter and season seven bags of breadsticks way too late at night.
     At the baseball field, I claimed all time catcher as soon as I could. (By catcher I mean ball-picker-upper because I sure wasn't about to run around trying to catch all those fouls!) From that vantage point I could be part-time spectator and full-time sentimental sap. I watched those four boys who are now grown men run around in the outfield and my heart overflowed. Not a bad one in the bunch. They are all, every one, men of integrity and responsibility, of humor and kindness. They know how to treat a lady right and they always will. They hold their jobs and their money. They think critically and are quick to help others.
     Our family wasn't perfect. In fact, like most others, some aspects were downright dysfunctional by some standards. But those four men made the choice to be amazing. Sunday morning we filled the whole row at church and I felt like standing on the chair and shouting, "Look! These are my brothers and they are four of the coolest men I have ever met!" They are all seeking God and trying to figure this life out.
     So thanks little brothers. Thanks for giving me the honor and blessing of watching you grow up. I am so stinking proud of every single one of you. But you still have to fix my breakfast. :)
~Stick to it!