Devan-heaven-bo-beven

One day - two birthdays. My family is good at sharing their birthdays. Out of seven kids, there are only 4 days of birth. Two sets of twins makes that fairly feasible, but to add to it, my brother was born on my sister's 6th birthday. What a great present.

Did you ever have a crush on your older brother? Well I sure did. But it was more a crush on the idea that there were boys as good, as kind, as talented, as fun, as thoughtful, and as good-looking as my brother. He was my protector, my tormentor, my doll dresser, my fort maker, my leader, my teacher, my teaser, my adviser, my example, and my friend.

I have so many fun memories of growing up with Devan. He is 5 years older than me and so that was a gap big enough to make him more of a protective big brother than an annoying one. But I still have plenty of memories of him grabbing my hand and using it to punch me while saying "Stop hitting yourself, stop hitting yourself" or putting his hand on my skull and saying it was a brain sucker and that it was starving or the countless times he would ruin a good yawn by sticking his finger in my stretching mouth. But those are fun memories now. Nothing too terrible. Everyone needs a big brother to tease them. A little.

As I think about a favorite memory, the ones that come to mind are moments where he was my teacher. Like helping me dress my dolls or do their hair. Or when he said I sang through my nose and needed to work on that. Or endlessly counting to 3 wile I summoned up the courage to attempt a back flip on the trampoline. And then spotting me over and over again until I got the flip on my own. I remember the security I felt as a kindergartner riding the bus for the first time with him by my side. And feeling just as secure with him by my side as I rode a train for the first time in Europe.

I am so blessed to have Devan in my life. He is my favorite big brother and I could not have asked for one better.

Happy Birthday BUD!

Tasha, Devan, Tara
Venice 1998