Men are Amazing #2 - KIRK

Disclaimer --- I'm just getting started on talking about the MANY amazing men in my life, so for all those wonderful fellas .... your time is coming!  :)

My brother Kirk is a great husband and father (to 6 + 1 daughter-in-law and another daughter-in-law to be added to the mix this summer).  I love the entire crew!  His wife, KayDon is even more amazing than he is, but that's not what this post is about .... just sayin'!

Kirk is almost 3 years older than I am.  He's the closest in age to me of all my siblings.  We also have 4 older sisters (sometime I'll get around to telling you about each of their wonders as well).

While growing up, Kirk was  patient and considerate of me in SO many ways.  He generally didn't mind when I tagged along with all of his friends, he watched out for me, borrowed my toys (just to let you know he wasn't perfect then or now).  In many respects he was a surrogate father to me, even though he was only 3 years older.  My father was a good man with many outstanding characteristics, but he was also an alcoholic and by the time I was part of the picture, I think he was too far into that addiction to be a great father. 

When I was about 14, making NOT the best choices in male companionship, Kirk was the one that stayed up and waited until I walked through the door.  He was the one that on one occasion (though I was home and in my bed - he couldn't tell that because not only was I under the covers, but I was under a LARGE stack of clothing that was on top of the covers).  He thought I was missing and contacted my friends, scouted around town .... all in an effort to find me and make sure I was okay.  I happened to have been asleep in my bed and when I wandered downstairs about 1:30 in the afternoon, he was the one who questioned me as to where I had been, what I had been doing.  Dad was home, but as I recall was simply reading his paper.

When my parents let us know that they were getting a divorce (I was 16ish), all of my siblings were wonderful.  All of them offered to have me live with them if that was what I wanted.  But Kirk, that very night, told me that I could live with him, he would somehow get an apartment, get a night job, take on my Dad in court if need be.  Mind you, Kirk was a student at the time; his college and living expenses were being paid for (at least in part) by my father. 

When Kirk went on a mission for our church, he was only sad (as far as I know) about one thing, that he was going to miss out on time with my niece (born about the time he left) and nephew.  My mom promised him that if he went, he would return to more.  We knew that one was due within a few months, the other came the week before Kirk's return.  That's why I put that picture above, it is Kirk fresh home from his mission holding the niece that was only a baby when he left, and the one born just before his return (Patrice and Lindsay respectively).

When I was in my 20's and had pneumonia, even though Kirk was a husband and father, working full time, he called me every day to make sure I was doing okay.  He even stopped by with flowers once or twice to cheer me up.

There are MANY more stories I could tell about the amazing man my brother is, but that would take more time than most would want to spend reading my blog!  Suffice it to say, KIRK, I love you.  I respect and honor the man you are and were and want you to know that you have made a huge positive impact in my life.