As I was writing the title for this article, I couldn't help but put the quotation marks around "little." Growing up my nickname for you was "Shorty." Mom always said that would come back to bite me, because I was not always going to be towering over you. She was right, and today I have to look up to you, since you are 6 feet tall. It is interesting to look back and laugh on today. Now, I am Shorty.

I don't remember the first time I met you, but Mom always told me that I was so excited to be able to hold my new brother for the first time. I take her word for it, because like I said, I can't remember. I remember the first time you and I rode the school bus together, and also our "last first day" of school picture. Even though 10 years had passed between the two, they both felt like not much time had passed at all.

Growing up you were that stereotypical annoying little brother. I would get so annoyed and whine to Mom so much about you, to which she would only smile and laugh at. I honestly can't blame her. Uncle Randy was her brother.

We got into so many fights as kids. One would say something and then the other would escalate it, and it would turn into a big argument that would need parental involvement. No wonder Mom never liked to leave us alone together for that long.

Despite our childhood, we grew a lot closer as we got older. I guess we both got to the point where we decided to stop only tolerating and begin liking one another. I don't know about you, but something that played a big role in it for me was Uncle Randy's death. You never know what tomorrow might bring, and the Bible says that life is but a vapor. It is important to cherish your siblings, and sometimes it is easy to forget that.

Somewhere along the line you became one of my best friends. Maybe it did happen when Uncle Randy died. Or it could have possibly been when I moved away for college. I remember being so excited for college. I moved into my dorm room, and right before you were about to leave with Mom and Dad it hit me. The people that have loved me and I have loved my entire life were getting ready to leave me in this new chapter, a chapter that I knew for sure would be an adventure, but one that I had no idea what was in store. My childhood was officially over, and part of me at the time had wanted to just go back to Ripley. However, I'm really glad now I didn't.

I remember the last time I saw you before you left for college in Tennessee, and I couldn't help but tear up. You were so grown up and getting ready to experience life on your own. Despite my tears, I was also super excited for you. I encouraged you to make the most out of living 6 hours away from home and create your own adventures and experiences. Everyone's college and life experiences are going to be different. I'm so glad that you appear to have taken my advice and thrived on it.

The older I get the more you are one of my best friends. I admire your perseverance and heart for people. You are kind to others, even if they haven't been kind to you. You're always faithful to share a Gospel tract with anyone you come in contact with, a boldness that I have always envied. You're going to make a great pastor someday.

Whoever you end up marrying is definitely getting one heck of a guy. While it's funny to think that so many mothers back home would like to have you as a son-in-law, God knows who the perfect one is. She will be very lucky. You were so patient in listening and encouraging me when I was tearfully grieving the time a boy broke my heart. I sometimes wondered if you were taking mental notes about what not to do in a relationship. I hope you did learn something from my experiences, as I definitely have.

At the end of the day, I enjoy talking to you about anything and everything. You've matured so much over the past few years, and you and I understand each other. I'm really grateful that the Lord did allow you to be my "little" brother. I know the younger sibling typically looks up to the older one, but so many times I've found it to be reversed in my own life. I love you. Thank you for everything.