2,108 miles.

The reason my phone is always near during the day and ringer volume cranked at night.
The reason I don't turn on the news in fear of yet another deployement.
The reason I cry at any military, "I miss you", come home song.
The reason for a special little prayer every night.

When you spend 18 years of your life with someone who is your greatest fan, biggest critic and best friend, it's hard to let them go. It's hard to only be able to see them once a year, only talk to them over the phone, only be involved in bits and pieces of their life instead of every minute. You miss out on the little things, the things you took for granted because you figured would always be there. Watching them laugh, feeling their hugs, and never knowing when you're in for a wrestling match.

It's not easy for any of us, but then everybody warned us that it would be one of the hardest things we went through.  There's a special bond between him and I that no matter what either of us goes through still makes us closer than anybody else at the end of the day. I can't explain to you how it feels and I really don't want to. People always say that a girl needs an older brother, they apparently never had a younger one :-) He's the most protective person in my life. Who has always tried to take on the guys twice his size just because they broke my heart. Told off the girls he knew were not good enough to be my "friends". Laughed at me when I most deserved it, cheered when I needed an extra push and was never afraid to tell me how it was.

So here's to a little brother, a best friend, for leaving his safe little home town to make a difference in the world. He left the ones he loved, so that everybody else can come home to theirs every night. He gave up talking to his parents and family so that his neighbors can have dinner with theirs. He is missing out on being a crazy, wild 20 yr old with his friends, so his friends can keep being crazy, wild 20 yr olds. He is missing Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners so the rest of us can still celebrate. I personally couldn't be more proud of such an amazing young man, who has shown me what dedication, compassion and loyalty really is.

Love you little brother,

Sissy