Dear Big Brother,

I was born six years after you and yes, I also know you were expecting another little brother and yes, I also know that we started off on the wrong foot since I “stole” your birthday (even though it’s not my fault that I was born on my due date and you were two weeks late cough cough). And ye,s I know what a bratty child I was and how all you wanted to do was sit in your room and play your computer games while I wanted to force you to play dress up with me.

When we went to grade school, we were seven grades apart and you were in my Big Buddy class. All of the girls in your class thought I was just so cute and you just rolled your eyes, again I get it. But when I was in first grade I got really sick on the playground and you carried me up the hill took me to the nurse's office and waited with me until Mom got there. That’s the thing, even when you didn’t necessarily like me, you were always the best big brother you could be.

I grew up from the time I was in a sling going to your soccer games. My whole childhood I would watch you on the field and want to be just like you. Your intensity when you played, the maturity and seriousness you had as a player, even though I was just a goofy little kid I wanted to emulate that attitude. When I finally got my chance to play soccer, all I wanted to do was impress you. A feat I honestly don’t know at 20, if I have achieved yet but don’t worry, I always get you in the end.

When Mom used to try to make you give me skills lessons 9.9 times out of 10 they ended with you getting frustrated trying to teach me and me ending up in tears and running inside. I blame it on the fact that you’re left-footed or that a field player could never understand the complex mind of a goalie, but I also get that I wasn’t the easiest player to coach.

You always did so well in school and I wanted to do that too. The effort and dedication that you put in as an athlete transferred over into your schoolwork. You were such a whiz at math and science and it was crazy to me, even when you were still young, how easy understanding how the world worked came to you. Even though my math skills are still to this day atrocious, and often the subject of your mockery, it’s ok because where I can’t, you can. Even if it’s calling you at 3 am after you just came home from a bar to help me pass my chemistry final, you’ll always fill in the gaps I don't understand.

I didn’t really get that you were cool until you left for college and I had no one to really fight with, or who would understand a really sweet save I had made that day in practice. I missed you so much those first few months your first year at Stanford, I don’t know if I had ever been so excited to see anyone in my life when you came home for Thanksgiving. That’s the funny thing, for as much as we didn’t always click when we were young, it couldn’t be more opposite now.

You’ve also had to deal with situations you didn’t need or ask for. When things got tough you were always there to listen to me cry on the phone. No matter the time of day or what you’re doing, you always drop everything to talk to me. You’ve had to go above and beyond what a normal big brother should, mediating situations for me when I couldn’t, and protecting me at every step of the way.

I tell you everything, sometimes too much but you never seem to mind, you just kind of laugh or if I’m totally wrong or illogical you don't hesitate to correct me. You never let me lose sight of the truth, or of what’s really right, and of course you call me out when I’m wrong, which I’ll admit can tend to be quite often. At the end of the day, you are hands down my best friend and one of the greatest gifts with which God has ever blessed me. So thanks for being you, and for being the most incredible big brother. Even though you didn’t sign up to have a little sister, this little sister is the person she is today because you are her big bro.

Love you always,

Your Baby Sis