When you give a girl wo big brothers…She’ll grow up a bit of a tomboy. She won’t be afraid to get rough and tough, to wrestle and get her hands dirty, and she’ll learn to play in the dirt and climb trees. She’ll get a few scars, scrapes and broken bones on the way and she’ll learn to toughen up when she gets hurt. She’ll learn to put up with getting her hair pulled, being wrestled and treated like one of the guys. She’ll learn to be able to hold her own and stand up for herself.

When you give a girl two big brothers…She’ll grow up learning all about sports. She’ll learn about football and basketball and what off-sides, penalty kicks, back court violations, blitzes, and 2-point conversions are. She’ll learn to love the local sports teams and yell at all the refs. She’ll learn about the players and positions. They’ll turn her into a die-hard sports fans. So no, she won’t wear a pink jersey, because she’d rather proudly sport her teams colors.

When you give a girl two big brothers…She’ll be teased and joked with all the time. However, they’re the only ones who are ever allowed to tease her. If anyone else tries to, it won’t be a pretty sight.

On the flip side of all of this, when you give a girl two big brothers…She’ll be fiercely protected. She’ll have people she can call any day at any time and know that they’ll be there for her at the drop of the hat if she needs them. She’ll have someone to hold her hand, to beat up creepy guys (and sometimes scare away all potential boyfriends), give her piggy back rides, and hold her tight when she’s heartbroken and crying.

When you give a girl two big brothers…She’ll be told her worth, validated and loved. She’ll be told she’s beautiful and amazing. She’ll learn how she deserves to be treated by guys. She’ll learn to respect herself and to not let people take advantage of her. She’ll realize that she’s worth being pursued and unconditionally loved simply because of who she is.

When you give a girl two big brothers…She’ll have two heroes. She’ll have two people she can look up to and respect, two people who she can learn from, both from their successes and mistakes. She’ll have someone who will teach her to be brave, and to always chase her dreams. She’ll have someone to look up to, someone who will grow and teach her what it looks like to persevere and to get back up after you’ve been knocked down. Someone who will show her that it doesn’t matter what people think of you, and a person who will push her to pursue her passions and live life to the fullest.

When you give a girl two big brothers she’ll be eternally grateful.

My brothers are my biggest motivators and supporters. They’ve taught me about life and God. They’ve pushed me to be my best and have always believed in me. When I’ve wanted to give up or doubted myself they’ve reminded me that I’m capable, brave and talented, but most importantly that my strength comes from God. They’ve given me free therapy sessions as they’ve listened to my various dilemmas and given me life advice. They’ve helped me through the hardest times of my life and have been my supporters and the arms that have held me up when I’ve been too weak to stand. They’ve become more than just brothers to me, they’ve become my friends, role models, and heroes. Everyday I become a little more grateful for the amazing gift of my brothers, and my love and respect for them only continues to increase as time goes on.

It is because of all of these things that I want to thank you for being the best big brothers I could ever ask for! I love you more than you know!