A Wonderful Man

I have written many entries on my brother over the last year because a lot of things have happened, but I would like to write one more before this year is over.

My brother is a great man. He is one of the few good men left in this world. He has good morals, a great sense of humor, and is just an overall wonderful man.

When he went to Basic Training for the Army, we were all so proud. My dad has been in the Army for over 20 years and we all knew that Tyler would probably follow in his footsteps in some way. It was really hard on us having him be gone for so long because we are a really close family and Tyler is definitely my best friend, but we were still so proud of him and happy for him.

Of course, we knew that there was a posibility that he would get sent overseas to Iraq or Afghanistan when he got out because they are sending everyone within a year of graduating from Basic, but we were still hoping he wouldn't have to, and dreading it if he did.

Well, to all of our dismay, he does have to go. He leaves in February for training. He will be gone from February to the end of April when he will come home for a few weeks. In May, he leaves to go to Afghanistan for nine months. Needless to say, this year is going to suck...majorly. Be forwarned that a lot of posts this year will probably be sad and depressing because my best friend will be gone overseas...I'm going to be a wreck.

Now, there are a lot of good things that are going to happen this year by my own making...I will explain that probably tomorrow or a little later tonight...but it is also going to be a bad year. He will be here for Gabriel's third birthday but he will miss my birthday, his own birthday, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. :(


This is my favorite picture of us together. This was taken in October at his 24th birthday party.

The reason I felt like writing about him some more is because of something he said to me last night. My parents left this morning for West Virginia. They are spending the weekend up there with some of my dad's family for New Years and Tyler is having a party. For those of you who don't know my brother, this will not be a wild and crazy party. There will be drinking but nothing else...just a bunch of friends getting together and having fun.

Josh, Gabriel, and I are going too just to spend time with everyone. Josh is a recovering alcoholic and I don't drink, so we are just going to have some fun and we can't stay til midnight, because we have to get home and get the munchkin home and in bed before then.

Tyler told me last night that there would be alcohol there but I wouldn't have to worry because there wouldn't be any drinking until Gabriel was gone. I thought he meant that he wasn't going to drink anything until we left and that didn't surprise me because that is just the kind of person he is...No, he meant he wasn't going to allow anyone to drink until Gabriel was gone. He doesn't want any drinking around his nephew. He said if anyone didn't like it, there is the door.

I was shocked at first but not because it was out of character for him, I was just surprised....and I'm not even sure why. That is the kind of person that he is. He throws a party at his house and invites his little sister, her husband, and their 2 year old son...and then makes a rule that no one can drink until the toddler is not in the house anymore. I was touched.

What a wonderful man he is. He is going to make some woman the luckiest woman on earth because he will treat her like a queen...like a woman is supposed to be treated. He is so thoughful and sweet. And I am going to miss him like crazy.

:(