Growing up, I always wanted a sister. I was jealous of my friends who had a big sister to hang out with and go to for advice, or a little sister that looked up to them. However, God decided to give me brothers instead, specifically 2 brothers and 2 stepbrothers. While I’m secretly still envious of those of you who get to experience life with a sister, growing up with brothers was nothing shy of uneventful, and being the only girl has its perks at times. Despite the frequent tattling and playful roughhousing, there are countless ways my brothers have made me a stronger (and better!) person and I thank them for that, so here's to them.

Thanks for cheering me up when I'm feeling sad.

Although my youngest brother is nearly ten years younger than me, he hates to see me in distress. For those of you who know him, you know that he's not the type to wear his emotions on his sleeve, and therefore, he hates it when I cry in front of him. With that being said, he's always there to lighten the mood or offer a hug to cheer me up (did I mention he hates hugs, too?).

Thanks for making fun of me.

It may sound weird, but I honestly couldn't imagine life without my brothers making fun of me all the time. I know it's all in fun, but they never fail to pass up an opportunity to make a joke about me or pry at my slight lack of common sense.

Thanks for taking pictures with me.

I'm not kidding when I say that my brothers are some of the least photogenic people you will ever come across. Call it being camera shy or call it being stubborn, but when there's a perfect photo op, they better pose and put on a (fake?) smile.

Luckily for us, we've grown up since this picture was taken...

#Gloup, am I right?

Thanks for letting me confide in you.

There's some things that are better off never reaching the attention of mom and dad, and in these circumstances, we go to each other. You know the secret is safe with your little brother, and if for some reason it isn't, you have double the gossip to spill to get him back.

Thanks for not getting (too) mad at me when I play the mom card.

Being the oldest, it's just a habit for me to act like your mom at times. I'm only looking out for your best interest, so just try not to hate me too much for it.

Thanks for allowing me to be a role model.

Although they don't always tell me, I know I'm one of the many older figures they look up to as a role model. In my opinion, a role model is someone who encourages and sets a positive example of the way you should look at life. I hope my brothers look at me that way, and I strive to be the person they'd love to be like.