Growing Up or Just Getting Older?

Me (age 6) & my brother, Ryan (age 4)!

Today is my little brother's 18th birthday. 18! And though I am only 20, I say that as if it isn't old though just a few years ago 20 seemed like a life time away. I fell old today. I remember all the times when my brother and I use to play make-believe and when life was care-free. My brother and I have always been really close but tonight when I was at his surprise birthday party I realized how we both have 2 separate and different lives. Not as though we haven't always but its more apparent now. I think that line was drawn when I choose to stay in Panama City to finish out my Senior Year of high school at Bay when my family moved here to North Carolina, they began their new lives in North Carolina while I was continuing/finishing my life down in Panama City. Up until that monumental point, Ryan (my brother) and I went to the same church, pretty much had the same friends (all of my friends adored him--sometimes liked him more than me!), lived under the same roof, and though we had our moments were ALWAYS there for eachother. And we still are today but when he moved up to North Carolina before I did, that is when he (and my parents) found themselves a new church, made new friends, moved into a new house and though we were still there for each other I wasn't just across the hall. Even now that I am living in North Carolina (which I love), and am currently living at home I do not attend church at Parkwood with my family, I have made Christ Community my home. And because I was no longer in high school when I moved up here and don't attend the same church we indefinitely have different friends. I love my brother more than anything, and it is going to be so hard for me this next fall when he leaves and goes off to college. Well before I continue to get sappy and start shedding tears, I'm going to end this. I love you Ryan and I know that you and I will always be great friends!