Season of Thanks, Tucker

Season of Thanksgiving #4 – Tucker

Hard to believe that he is 20 years old at the time I’m writing this. I pestered my Mom for years for a sibling. Well, you can’t exactly rush things like that and I was almost 10 when Tucker arrived. Meaning that for the majority of our lives, we won’t and have not really had much in common.

I remember all sorts of things he doesn’t. Reading to him, changing his diapers, tucking him into bed, rolling him up & down Toole Drive in the stroller at warp speed while he squealed with excitement. He’s full grown now, a good couple of inches taller than I am and yet I can still remember carrying him around on my hip like it was yesterday. His first memories of me no doubt involve the years that I was an angry teenager who resented him because he got away with murder. Yet I will always have those other memories of the beginning.

After the divorce, Mom had to go back to working nights a lot and that left me to babysit. It seems like a lifetime ago, but I remember it all. Trying to become a teenager and get my own life while simultaneously ensuring that I remember to take care of him. It made me grow up fast. A lot faster than I wanted actually. But that’s life. Always throwing curveballs at you. At least my mother felt like she could count on me to take care of him and he didn’t end up drowning in the tub or with any broken limbs on my watch. Thank goodness.

Now he’s off doing his thing in the Navy, busy becoming and man and all that stuff. But I had the special privilege of being there since the beginning. Watching him grow up. He may not remember it all, but I sure do. Even though we are years apart, we are close together. And as I close in on 30, I’m enjoying watching him make those choices of becoming a man. Because I was there not too long ago. So, here you go Tucker…living proof that I was a good big bro to you. Pics or it didn’t happen :p

Back then…