Guys, I know, because I grew up surrounded by you men, that we don’t typically express our feelings of love towards each other in big, sappy ways. I’m usually lucky to get a hug and an “I love you too.” Sorry, but I’m going to get sappy, just this once.

To my little brother,

Can you please stop growing? You’re my baby brother and you’re now a lot bigger than I am. Your height doesn’t bother me as much as your age does, though. You’re somehow old enough to be driving my truck around, and in my head, that still seems impossible. Yesterday, you were 14 and needed to be chauffeured everywhere. Now, you’re turning into this handsome, independent young man. I hope you know how I proud I am of you. You’re involved at school, you get good grades, and you kick ass in sports. I know that we’re different in the sense that I like quiet, indoor activities like reading and writing, and you’d rather be kicking a soccer ball around or shooting a basketball. But I hope you also know that we share the same drive and ambition, and I know that there is nothing you set your mind to that you won’t accomplish.

You can be very blunt and stubborn as all hell. So even though you’re growing into a conscientious and intelligent young man, you’re also becoming a bit of an ass. But you’ve always been a pain in my butt, and that’s never stopped me from loving you. I would do anything to protect you, though I know that idea is funny since you’re a lot stronger than I am. It’s still true nonetheless. You’re also one of my best friends, like it or not. It was built in; we got to act like twins growing up, playing and learning together. I hope you know how weird it was to get used to not having you right across the hall from me when I moved to college. I’ve missed you a lot, and I assume you’ve missed me too by the way you’ve let me hug you when I’m home. We may really annoy each other, but like I said, I’m so proud of the person you’re becoming.

To my big brother,

You’re also an ass, but again, you’re my ass. You have the same sense of humor, heck, the little one’s starting to talk like you, even starting to make the same facial expressions. It’s a little scary. But it’s also heartening because he could do way worse than turning into you.

You are so brave, and not (just) because you’re in the military, but because you left home, went right out into the world a few weeks after you graduated high school, and you’ve been out there since. You’ve gone to places around the world and seen amazing things. You’ve built yourself a life far from home. I’ve always known that was tough, but after spending my first year away from home at college, only four hours away, I can’t imagine living on a different continent for like six years. You’re my hero because you’ve gone out and done everything for yourself. I don’t think I’ve ever told you this, but nothing makes me prouder than to say my brother is a staff sergeant in the United States Air Force. You earned that, and you’re still going.

Thank you for also being a built-in best friend. The last few years, your life advice has been some of the best that I’ve gotten. Despite the little time we get to spend together, it seems you get me far more than most people. Thank you for telling what I need to hear and for reminding me that you’re always a phone call away. Thank you for sharing your experiences with me and not judging me for the things I get upset over. Most importantly, thank you for being just as proud of me as I am of you and for inspiring me to go out and take what’s mine.

To my dad,

They’re spitting images of you. So on the one hand, they drive me crazy, because you’re all grumpy and blunt and like to pick on me. But on the other hand, they’re good men, just like you. They’re respectful and smart and ambitious and sometimes they do succeed in making me laugh like you do. Thank you for always taking my side when either of them tries to get me into trouble. I know they hate it, but it’s always felt nice to know that you’d stop them from ganging up on me. And to have Dad on my side meant that I won -- maybe that’s why I like to win so much. I’d like to thank you, though, for always making me feel like I could win, not just arguments with them, but at anything I attempted. You taught me to work hard and not be a quitter, and then you supported me the one time I ever quit anything in my life because you knew I was doing what was best for me.

I don’t know if I’ve ever told you, but I think it’s one of the coolest things in the world that you’re a coach. Of course, you helped coach my softball team through elementary and middle school, but you were a coach before then. You may have stopped being my coach, but I’ve still gotten to see the effect you have on kids. You’re fair and you show a genuine interest in their abilities, as well as their lives. You go out of your way to help some kids out with their events as well as with keeping up with their schoolwork, getting rides to or from practices or meets, and buying team shirts. You may not be a touchy person, but it is obvious you have a huge heart.

There are really just a lot of things I want to thank you for. Thank you for giving me two brothers and teaching them that I was the princess to be respected and listened to (to a point -- a point which often involved dolls or makeup or jewelry). Thank you for being a great role model not only to them, or to me, but to so many kids in our community. Thank you for approving of the fourth man not included in this list; he’s the only guy to ever treat me as well as any of you. He’s also the only guy to look at me the way you look at Mom, and I think you see that. Thank you for setting such a good example with her of a how a man should treat his partner. I know your approval says a lot because you’ve basically never liked a guy I’ve liked before him. Thank you for always being right about boys and knowing what I deserve. Thank you for always acting like it’s a given that I’m going to be successful. I know you may not get or be super interested or even have the same opinion on everything I want to write about some day, but it means the world that you aren’t one of those people asking me what I plan to do with my degree. You know I’ll figure it out. You taught me to figure things out. Thanks for being a great dad.