I consider myself an ordinary girl with random interests who possess a random personality. But buried underneath the randomness – the hand-me-down t-shirts, sports facts, movie lines and tackle piles – is a girl thankful to have grown up with three older brothers.

It really is a charmed life: being the youngest, having only brothers. I was the sweetheart to brighten everyone's day, but for those who know me or know the life of being an only girl the truth is that the boys deserve some credit.

I grew up, in my eyes, as the fourth brother. Tagging along to sporting events, dressing primarily in basketball shorts and sweatshirts and spending as much time with them as they would allow. However, to them I'm sure I was the nuisance sister who never fully could grasp what it meant to be a kid in our family (because they couldn't grasp that I wasn't a boy like them). But that was the beauty in our family. I brought something new to the male dominated group, even if it wasn't what my brothers wanted.

In my humblest opinion, I'm exactly what they need in their life. Otherwise, they wouldn't have the slightest clue on how to handle my gender. Not only that, but I know I certainly was a way to unite the three of them when we were kids. Because of me they had a common enemy and the perfect punching bag and punch line to their jokes.

As for me, they are exactly what I need. I fully credit my brothers with who I am today. Growing up with them shaped me into the sarcastic, strong, obnoxious, outspoken, sports-loving girl I consider myself to be.

Their humor is what made me develop the overly loud laugh that comes out on a way too regular basis.

I'll likely always attribute myself with being tough because I grew up with them, but in all honesty they were too sweet to me that I never really had to defend myself. Besides the hand in the VCR, the daily wrestling that resulted in dad coming to my rescue, the baseballs to the face and the common slap battles – I had a fairly mellow childhood free of real fights.

It's as though I was able to grow up as one of the boys. They were my best friends and remain that as I go through college. Despite the shared annoyance and frustration, they're my favorite people.

They've taught me valuable lessons: I was going to lose because things wouldn't come easy, I had to take a joke and build thick skin so as not to be easily offended (a trait I'm very thankful for in college).

But aside from the jokes, they never abandoned their duty to serve as the protective older brothers of the one they call "the wee one" or "child." They were and will always be a group of great examples for me to admire. They've kept me competitive, witty, laughing and always feeling safe for 19 years.

I anxiously look forward to how we grow and to see what they accomplish, because I know they're capable of so much.

So this is a thank you. Thank you to those three boys for consistently giving me a talking point for conversations, for teaching me valuable sports knowledge, planting their interests into my mind and for simply being the group to give me the most insight into who I am.

I can only hope I've left the same impact on them.