Tuesday Tribute

Does the guy below look familiar to you?


No?


Take a look at my hubby over on the right and then look again.


Yep...that's it. It's his brother! Ladies and gentlement, meet my brother-in-law. His name will be witheld in order to reduce the amount of fan mail he will receive after this post. He's that cool.


He has a killer backhand...



And a knack for grilling a mean steak or whipping up some yummy french toast, and he'll even humor me by eating raw oysters (for the record, he was not a fan of the oyster).

He is very brave. Tubing in the icy waters off of Melbourne while a shark-search helicopter swirls overhead? No problem. He is quite the athlete, competing in triathalons and other physical feats that make me feel a bit sore just thinking about it. He can even hold his own on the golf course!
My, oh my...who is that good looking caddie? (Insert cat call whistle here)
Apparently smashing good looks run in the family. But I digress...

He can play the guitar, sing like an angel (in case you weren't aware, musical talent is a prerequisite to being a member of their family. They somehow agreed to let me in despite my gross inadequacies in this area), create abstract paintings, and refinish wood floors. He has also moved me in and out of more homes than I can count.

But beyond all of these talents, he is a great guy to have as a brother-in-law and as a friend. You know, I knew my brother-in-law before I knew my husband. We were in the same class in college, shared the same friends, led together in the same activities. In some ways I know this led to us getting on each others nerves, but it also laid a great foundation for friendship. I mean, how many of you have been through four years of working, communicating, bonding, and sometimes even conflicting with your brother-in-law before you even joined the family? Pretty rare, and so valuable.

We are pretty different people now than we were in college, and as we have grown and changed I appreciate his friendship all the more. He is wise and thoughtful, adventurous and inspiring, disciplined and focused, talented and funny. And he is a snazzy dresser. One cannot underestimate the value of a brother-in-law with style. It makes for really great Christmas and birthday gifts for yours truly. ;)

So here's to you, T. Thanks for being a great brother and an even better friend. Oh, and please let me know where I can pick up my complimentary "Sister-in-Law of the Year" ticket to Puerto Rico. I'm coming with you. ;)