Mexican Food

He told me that I had to blog about his Mexican food, so here I am...blogging about his Mexican food. Cheers to you, Brian ~

I have an incredible family. I really do. As the youngest of three children (and the only girl), I partook in my share...which was a generous helping...of torture. I was tormented by two older brothers who were ten and six years older than me. They got their choice of curfew, while I got the "nothing good happens after midnight" lecture. They wore rat tails and parachute pants, while my daddy threatened to sew ruffles on my mini skirts. They locked me in the house when my mother was out running errands and wouldn't let me play with the cousins during intense games of hide & seek at Babboo's house. But my brothers were cool - they were supreme.

When I was in elementary, I would ride to school with Brian (since he was able to drive) and we would listen to White Snake the entire way...four blocks to be exact. When he would go to visit his girlfriend in Spearman, he would graciously (after hours of pleading) take me with him and let me hang out with her younger brother. Big time. His friends always ignored me when they would come to visit, but I always found some way to get in on their fun.

Back long before school started, Clay devoted hours to teaching me everything that he knew. I was reading by age four, as he had me checking out books from the Gillispie library - children's books with homemade white check out cards strategically taped in the back. Clay took me under his wing and showed me the ropes - building castles in the sand box, learning to skate on roller skates, cooking in our easy-bake oven, performing tricks on the trampoline, and even learning what it takes to take care of our dogs - Baxter the cocker spaniel and Glory the dalmatian. I was his student and he was my teacher.

Both of them went before me and made the road a little easier to travel. We spent hours with my dad working cattle at the West Place, and both had to repeatedly encourage me in how to properly yell at the cattle to get them herded the right direction. With Brian and Clay driving the tractor years ahead of me, the task became less strenuous when I knew it was just part of being a farmer's child. Both of them went ahead of me to Tech, so when it was my turn, I knew two people who had not only succeeded away from home, but were willing to give me hints and advice for the unknown steps ahead of me. Brian secured a position for me working at the athletic ticket office, while Clay spent hours toting me around campus and making sure I knew exactly where Holden Hall was located.

So yeah, we may be far apart in age and didn't spend lots of time together in school...
You can safely say we didn't spend time in deep, meaningful conversations...
You could even go so far as to say that the three of us really don't have that much in common...
except for one thing...

We're family. We make up a crew of five who do love each other and care about the well being of one another. We know that we're family in an even greater aspect - God's family - and are brothers and sister(s) under His name. And I guess I don't say it often enough, but I do love them so. Perhaps I have even ventured down the road and say that there were times in my life that both of them disappointed me. But I know I haven't always been pristine, and that my actions have also housed disappointment they did not expect. But I do owe them a considerable amount of thanks and never say it often enough.

To Clay...three cheers to you. I thank you for the years you spent educating me and nurturing me...26 and counting. For starting me out on the right foot and even taking me in at age 23 when I didn't have an idea of who I was or where I was going...you were fit for the task. Thanks for loving me when I was most unlovable and for sharing plane tickets when I was not even deserving. You are diligent in your efforts, and I congratulate you and rejoice with you on the milestones your life is exceedingly surpassing. You are to not only be commended, but to be humbly thanked for making sure we were able to share our lives together.

And to Brian...here is to your Mexican food. Here is to years surpassed that included family vacations completely annoying one another, moving towards sitting down to a fantastic dinner cooked by you (he has turned over this rather intriguing domestic side) and engaging in more meaningful conversation. Here is to moving past petty arguments and finally reaching an age of maturity where your influence in my life and my perspective towards yours can finally be something meaningful. It seems that I spent years trying to be you and you spent years trying to discourage me into something else unique. Thanks for not allowing me to settle...even though it wasn't conveyed in the way I expected or demanded. Thanks for rising above ~

The holidays sure can make you sentimental, and I am ashamed that I have never taken the time to tell Brian and Clay what they mean to me. I undoubtedly rest assured that both are not happy this is posted for the world to enjoy (or endure), but I know that both need to know how special and important they are in my life. We've all messed up and made mistakes - we will continue to make them for the rest of our lives...I know I am going to be a specialist by the time I am our parents' age. But I hope and pray that we all (as in the world) can continue to live our lives in maturity, rising above foolish decisions and days of folly in order to preserve the one thing on this earth of which we are guaranteed - family.

Love to you both - to many more years of Mexican food...