When I joined a sorority my freshman year of college, one of the main things I said during recruitment was that I wanted to join a sisterhood because I never had one growing up. I never had hand-me-down clothes or a sister to share boy stories with. But I did have something equally amazing, and doubled too: I have my older brothers. Growing up with these two has shaped me to be the person I am today and I wouldn't have had it any other way.

Thanks for teaching me how to stick up for myself.

All those years of getting pranked and scared, bruised-up from wrestling, and trying to keep up with them really paid off. Playing with the boys really taught me some lessons.

Lesson 1. Be ready for anything. I don’t know how many times my brothers would scare me as a kid, but it did make me grow a back bone.

Lesson 2. Know how to take a punch. It’s easy to throw one, anyone can do it. But taking one requires strength, and my brothers have given me that — strength to take on hard challenges in life, because they happen. And with thick skin, challenges seem manageable.

Lesson 3. Get back up, and when you get back up, get back up stronger. When my brothers were in grade school they played soccer. They always gave it 110 percent to the point where if they would get an injury, they got back up immediately. Now, whether that was because they knew our mom would run onto the field in panic or because they were determined to keep playing, it beats me. But I always admired that in them because we are stronger than we think we are if we just put our mind to it.

Thanks for spoiling me.

Being the youngest sister of two boys who are 5 and 7 years older than me definitely had has its benefits. From rarely having to take the bus in high school to getting taken out to ice cream, I really enjoyed being the baby. But it was more than just that. Not only did they spoil me in treats, but they also spoiled me in love and protection. I have always been a pretty anxious person, and grade school wasn't necessarily the easiest. But with the help of my brothers, I made it through. Their support throughout the ups and downs and their constant presence gave me a blanket of safety because I knew that I had two older brothers that would be there for me no matter what.

Thanks for being yourselves.

You guys truly are, and will always be, my best friends. If you met my brothers and I separately it wouldn't even take you 30 seconds to realize how completely different we all are as people. But somehow we've managed to influence each other with our interests. Thanks to them I grew up playing videos games, and thanks to me they grew up with musical theater. Diversity was our middle name. We were so involved with each others' activities that it was almost like we were part of it as well. That was definitely my favorite part of growing up with my brothers — being the type of siblings who were really close always gave me my own little posse and life was never boring.

My brothers are my rock. They've taught me a lot growing up and gave me the tools I needed to be confident and strong. I wouldn't be the person I am today without you two.