Happy B-day BIL L...It's a big one! :)

BIL L is one of the first (or is it second if I am counting his parents as first?) generation MOST generous people. I have said it before and honestly I will say it again... this family would literally give you a kidney if they were your match and it would help you. Remember this day? Or the one below? :) "Pinch Hitter"...
BIL L is my "partner" as NOT one of the "five originals" but I am pretty sure there are at least two originals that wouldn't trade either of us for the world :)

I started working on this post on 1/21/09 on my way to work. BIL L LOVES Mercy Me and I happened to hear "I Can Only Imagine" come on the radio... I almost switched the station because 1) it ALWAYS makes me cry 2) I was wearing mascara and 3) I think it is slightly over-played but I left it on because it makes me think of him and I knew his B-day was coming up :) This is not something I have ever shared with ANYONE... not Husband, not SIL L and not BIL L...One of the most defining moments for me at FIL's funeral....

We had "I Can Only Imagine" played during the service....obviously we were all crying as a family in our row up front and I happened to look over and see BIL with one arm around his wife and one around his MIL, his hands up and SINGING for all he was to Jesus OUTLOUD the words to this song....his testimony....

Family is everything to BIL L...his wife, his two kids, his in laws, MY DOG, his neices and nephews, his parents, his sister and BIL, ...but sports is a CLOSE 2nd in the "everything" catagory :) It doesn't matter if it is professional, fantasy football league, GA's high school hoops, Dawson's travel teams, or Brando's college games. He LOVES SPORTS! It has been fun to see him transfer that passion to his kids and watch he and Husband "play" off each other with jock conversations. :)

He loves to sing, he loves to take pictures, he loves to buy things for his kids and wife, and he can't keep a secret about gifts to save his life, :) he loves to argue his point :), he loves meatball subs, salad and ice cream (especially coffee and especially from the place pictured above!) and he loves to tease! :)

I'm so thankful for you BIL L. For your role as the head of your home, for the support you are to your wife and the father you are to your children.

Happy 40th to you my friend!! I always wanted a "big" brother and I couldn't have hand-picked a better one!