time to walk. [ode to my brother's graduation]

 I'm so very proud of my brother, Ryan, who is graduating with his master's degree today. Since I can't celebrate with him in person, I thought I'd share with you just some of the reasons why our RyRy is so special.

1. Because he makes faces like this ^ !!! Priceless.

2. Because he's cool enough to get on a Nike advertisement...

...but not to proud to make a snow angel with his dog!

3. Because he can turn a mother's day card into 100% inappropriateness. And get away with it.

4. Because he informed my music tastes for my entire childhood, starting with singing oldies in our station wagon on the way to Mr. Plywood with our dad, using wrenches or screwdrivers as our microphones. We had a (MAJOR) Neil Diamond phase, an Aaron Copeland phase, a pre-emo phase, a Bone Thugs N Harmony phase (in which Ryan convinced me that they were actually Catholic, and none of their lyrics were bad...they did have a giant silver cross as their album cover, after all!), a Fergie phase, etc.

5. Because he taught me that digging my nails into his skin was actually not a good way to get revenge for him pinching my cheeks. Telling on him was a much better option. I'm proud to admit that I was the #1 tattletale in our family.

6. Because he had me believing that there were alligators in Grandma's water bed, and that yellow keister was a cuss word (and I've never felt comfortable watching Home Alone since).

7. Because he coined the name of my signature high school style: J.CREW ON CRACK. 

8. Because without his 7-year-old bravery in our neighbor's pool, I might not be here today (total exaggeration, but that's what it felt like to my 5-year-old-what-am-I-doing-in-the-deep-end-self).

9. Because he taught me all I know about trampoline basketball. 

10. Because he's a smarty-pants-masters-degree-chicken-farming kind of a guy, and we love him to pieces. Congratulations Ry, I'm so proud of you. 

(Ry's graduation announcements that I designed...with the address taken out of course. Wouldn't want anyone trying to steal their chickees!)

xoxo.