Brothers and Love

Last night I had my usual conversation with my parents.  Let me explain.  When my brothers went off to college, my parents made them call every Sunday.  The threat my parents used was that my parents were paying their tuition and they deserved a phone call.  That continued even when Stephen did his year long Master’s program and the parents no longer had the tuition threat.  Interestingly enough, it’s continued with Stephen now that he’s in Seattle and it got passed to me as well, even though my parents have no tuition hold on me. We all call on Sunday nights, usually in the neighborhood of 7pm.  It’s gotten to be a competition of sorts to be the first to call.  Last night, (as last week) I was the last to call.  I tried around 6:40ish, and found my parents talking to Stephen, and continued talking to him for another 20+ minutes (a rarity as Stephen’s not really a talker).  While talking to the parents, Stephen IM-ed me to give me grief about calling last & that he was still on the phone with them.

This week, instead of me calling them, my mom and dad called me.  I talked to them for about 20 minutes.  During that conversation, my mom told me that Stephen might be coming home for Christmas.  I’m not sure why or what happened to cause it, but I’m excited.  The original plan was that we wouldn’t see him for Christmas because he’d instead be headed out to see his girlfriend and that we’d likely see him when we all went out for Jason’s graduation in May (more on that in a minute).  In any case, I’m now really looking forward to seeing my brothers and having us all home for Christmas. Not sure yet how long he’ll be around or when he’ll arrive/leave, but it would definitely be good to see him.

It’s interesting…since the three of us kids started graduating high school and scattering, I’ve been much more aware of my feelings towards my brothers.  While we were all around the house, I knew on one level I loved my brothers, but mostly I didn’t think about it.  I didn’t notice it much my freshman year of college because I was so homesick (I suppose you could argue I was noticing it in away). Then when I came home and started at UW, I had a year with all three kids back at home.  However, when Stephen went away to college at Cornell…that’s when I started to notice how much I loved my brothers.  It was small at the time, but there.  Those two years while Stephen was gone, Jason and I got closer.  Then I had time at home with just my parents once Jason graduated in May 2007 and left for Cornell in August 2007.  When times came for my brothers to come home for a time, I’d always say I wasn’t looking forward to them coming home and disrupting the quiet.  However, it was a shield.  I always looked forward to my brothers coming home, at least initially.  Invariably though I was ready for them to leave again before it was time for them to actually leave.  Since then, the excitement of seeing my brothers each time they came home has grown and I actually miss them.  And it’s funny – I’ve talked to my brothers more since I started law school than I did while my brothers were away from home and in college.  So I’m definitely looking forward to seeing my brothers.  Jason I was always going to see at Christmas since he was coming home for the Christmas break at Cornell.

This next May, Jason will be graduating w/ a B.S. in….something like Applied Engineering Physics.  Something like that. The rule in the house has been if able, everyone attends undergrad graduations (and I think it’s going to be extended to graduations where someone receives a doctorate).  In Jason’s case, he’ll graduate Memorial Day weekend.  For me, finals end the 20th so whether I can go to his graduation will depend on my clerkship or wherever I end up working for the summer.  I suspect it’ll be okay, given that it’s a long weekend.  If need be, I can fly out late Friday and fly back on Monday.  It’s a gorgeous campus too. 

I’ve begun to realize just how busy I’m going to be over the next three weeks before I can head up to see my parents.  Actually, it’s less than three weeks now that I’m headed up.  I’m planning to drive up right after Civil Procedure that Friday, so I’d get in between 4 & 4:30.  I talked to my mom yesterday about checking into getting a flu shot while I’m there in hopes I won’t cost me anything, or cost me less than it would here.  It’s possible that if I get it done at a Dean Clinic, I could get it done free.  Given that I can’t afford to get out for a week+ with the flu, I’m thinking a flu shot for at least the three years of law school is a good idea.  I’ll likely spend most of Saturday studying in addition to likely getting a flu shot.  Saturday night I’ll watch the OSU-Wisconsin game with my dad.  Sunday I’ll go to church with my mom.  I’m actually timing it well – it's Ward Conference that weekend, so I’ll definitely get to see the Nelsons while I’m there.  The week before I go up, I’m also going to email Brianna and see if she’s going to be at church.  If not, I’ll see if I can drop by at some point while I’m home, because I’d love to see her and Elsie.