He Aint Heavy...

Graduation from high school marks the very beginning of so many opportunities in life. Those profound life moments mark the death of childhood, so it is no surprise that I have been getting very emotional the past week or so each time I think of my baby brother Sean, who is taking the walk and turning his tassel in just a few days.

It was 18 years and six months since Sean Marsden joined his big sister on earth. Everyone was excited to have a new baby, especially a boy. My most memorable experience of the whole thing was being at Kmart trying to pick out the perfect toy that my mom promised when her water broke. I theorise that Sean was waiting for the perfect moment to rain on my parade. My brother was born on November 16th 1989.

As many will recall he spent the better part of his childhood being a pirate or cowboy. He always had a hat on and a weapon. My personal favorites include a mangled Easter hat complete with ribbon he assumed was a cowboy hat and a various sticks used as guns or knives or swords. I recall our moment of departure one trip to our Island Park family cabin when he ran into the house because he 'forgot something' when he emerged empty handed I questioned his whereabouts. He had forgotten to hug and kiss his pirate ship goodbye. I remember him being intrigued when I lost my tooth and the tooth fairy brought me money. I took him we would trick the tooth fairy and we balled up pieces of toilet paper and placed them under his pillow which were immediately replaced with the money from my own visit from the tooth fairy.

As siblings do, we often squabbled. I remember Sean getting in bed with me when he was little. I told him I was going to get a drink and he said "don't tell daddy I'm in here" I promised him I would never do that and went straight to my dad to tell him that Sean was in my bed and wouldn't leave. My dad came storming upstairs to get him in bed, and I swore I didn't tell him and I had no idea how he ever found out. Payback time...a few years, perhaps a few months later (time is so irrelevant in childhood) Sean went over to my best friend Megan's house and wanted to jump on their trampoline but was afraid of their dog. He decided he should take Bilbo and wrap the chain he was tied up to around the post of the trampoline so that he was tied up so tight against the post he couldn't move. Man did I get the yelling of a lifetime from Judy Winegar, Megan's mom...she thought I'd done it. Sean later confessed.

Sean is now 18 and a half. In a few months he will be attending BYU-I, receiving his Mission Call, and accepting that call to serve the Lord. He is such a great guy. I'm lucky to have him for a brother. I can't even say how much I've missed him and my sister the past four years. I feel like I've missed out on so much. Lucky for us, families are forever. I am so proud of you Sean. I love you so much. You are a great example to your sisters. Congratulations on Graduating

"I'm movin' on At last I can see life has been patiently waiting for me And I know there's no guarantees, but I'm not alone there comes a time in every one's life when all you can see are the years passing by and I have made up my mind that those days are gone."