Having a sibling 8 years older than you can be weird sometimes. The relationship dynamic is a bit different than normal siblings, but it's special in it's own way. My brother was born 8 years before me, meaning that when I was a newborn he was already in elementary school. He was living his prime while I was still pooping in diapers. There are a few reasons why he's so great, here are 11 of them.

1. You support me

This one's simple enough. THANK YOU for all that you've done for me. You supported me when I came out, you supported me when I decided I wanted to be a teacher... then changed my mind a bazillion times. You have always been my #1 fan and I am eternally grateful for that.

2. You rock!

You're easily my favorite brother! (For those who don't know, he's my only brother.) But from a completely unbiased standpoint, you're super great. You're a wonderfully kind person and I don't know how you do it. I drove you crazy all the time and you (usually) kept your cool. I'm impressed.

3. You basically helped raise me

Seriously, thanks, fam. I wouldn't be half the person I am without you. You taught me so many life lessons and a ton of random facts, too. I don't know how you did it but thank you.

4. You taught me a lot

"A lot" is an understatement. You have given me so many life lessons and I'm so thankful for them. Even if I didn't actually call my sister a "big fat liar," you still taught me that I should not call her that. (Throwback to that time you put me in time out and I was crying so hard I couldn't explain to you that I was, in fact, reading a bookmark for the movie "Big Fat Liar.") You taught me to follow my dreams and to work hard to make them a reality, and thanks to you I have actually found my dream (Higher Education in Student Affairs) and it will be my reality within the next three years.

5. You're real life #goals

Whether it be your relationship with your wife or just you in general, you're #goals. I hope to someday be even a fraction as happy as you are. Even though we don't talk often, I can tell just by the way you talk and the way you hold yourself that you're super happy and I strive to be that happy someday.

6. Your wife is amazing

Good job finding the perfect person to marry. I'm really proud of you for finding someone who loves you and cares for you as much as she does, and it's a plus that she's not terrified of our family. #RealStruggle

7. You're a great teacher

This is actually super important. He's honestly an amazing teacher. He taught me a lot about life and who I am, and I couldn't be more thankful for that. He's patient and kind... two important qualities to have in a teacher.

8. You always pay when we go out together

This is so minor but I'm a broke college student. Whenever we go out to eat, I'm prepared to pay, but I know that he'll take care of it. And if he ever needed me to do the same for him, I would in a heartbeat.

Even if my bank account only had $7.32 in it.

9. You're the one with the jokes

He has no idea how many jokes I steal from him. It's actually pretty bad.

I'm not kidding.

10. You got me interested in video games at a young age

I'm nowhere near your level of gaming, but I vividly remember sitting down in front of a TV playing video games with you and with friends. I've come a long way since then. I've moved from X-Men and Sonic the Hedgehog to games like The Wolf Among Us, The Walking Dead, and The Stanley Parable. Thanks for giving me the best way to procrastinate.

11. You believe in me

I could come to you right now and tell you, "I'm going to be president of the united states before I turn 30," and you'd sit down and say, "Alright, tell me the plan." I could tell you that I was going to become a surgeon without going to medical school and you'd nod and said, "With your Grey's Anatomy knowledge I believe it." You believed in me when I didn't even believe in myself, and I wouldn't be where I am without you.

I'm lucky enough to have the best brother a girl could ask for, and I feel really bad that I can't share him with everyone. Every single person deserves to have an "older brother" type person in their lives, even if they aren't an actual older brother.