The Wrecking Crew~

    Growing up in a household of boys, I thought I was completely destined to have all boys. I never imagined I would have girls.EVER! I do enjoy my girls. Also, I enjoy watching them interact as sisters. The whole sister"let me scream at the top of my lungs at my sissy who has my favorite barbie ,even though it really is my sissy's barbie, but I am gonna scream anyway until I get it back" is completely forgein to me. My brothers would just punch the crap out of each other and that was that. Problem solved. No hair being pulled and no cat clawing going on, just a good old fashioned knock out. And I don't even think my parents knew about half of the boxing matches that went on,unless they broke something or a body part.
    My Mom went back to school when my youngest brother, Philip was in 1st grade. Up until my mom went back to college she would babysit at our house.It took her 5 years to graduate with her RN. She did all of this with 4 kids and a husband. Pretty impressive, right? For sure!
    My Mom landed a job as a Labor and Delivery Nurse at the local hospital by our house. It was the first day of her job, and she left me in charge of the boys. The most exciting thing is, is that I got my license the day before ! Finally!!! FREEDOM!! My Dad had gotten me a Plymoth Sundance(nuns used to drive these cars) at the local dump,I think. He bought it for 400.00 and I thought it was perfect! We didn't have two pennies to rub together, so this was a HUGE deal!  Back to me, being in charge. So, Mom leaves me in charge. If I remember correctly, Clay (brother # 2 out of 3) and Philip(brother#3 of 3) start getting into a fight, about Lord knows what. The next thing I know,Clay pushes Philip back and Philip cracks his head on the corner  of the brick fireplace. And then the blood starts squirting on the grey carpet. OMG! Thank goodness my bro's had gotten stitches more than a few times, so I knew to put pressure on the open, gapping wound. Well, it wouldn't stop bleeding and Philip was crying for my Mom and Clay was crying not because Philip was hurt, but because he had to face my Mom and Dad, and I was crying because of the whole thing. I tell Philip we are going to have to go to the ER. He is competlely flipping out. I just learned how to drive and have to rush my brother to the ER. God, help me! Please!!! We finally get there, and my nerves are a bit shaken.  I was under 18 they needed to have an adult to consent for him to be seen. Oh geez! "Page my Mom, I guess." I said.  The chick at the ER desk asked me where she was."First day of orentation for the Birthing Center." The ER chick just laughed. "This will be good!" She said. They page my Mom and she comes running like a bat out of hell to Philip 's rescue. "Whoops!"Is all I can say"Oh, and they don't listen." I add.
    She wasn't mad at me. Thank goodness. After all, I didn't wreck on the way there and I took care of her baby boy. After that, when all of them would fight, I would just bust out the broom. Word to the wise,it is a great weapon when breaking up fights between your brothers. They knew I meant business!! And I would remind them,about Philip's stitches.
    My Mom always says to us, "If you don't have the love and support of your siblings and you if can't lean on them, who can you lean on? Believe it or not, they will be your best friends and you will need them some day."
    I don't think we would realize how true that quote from our Mom was to us, until my Dad got sick. I do know that I have the best brothers in the whole world. Sometimes it takes a tragedy to make a unit stronger. I think we have always been a strong family unit,but we are a unbreakable , unshakable unit now!  Thank goodness for my brothers!