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Finding Grace in the Unraveling of Life

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in 31 Days with My Brother

31 Days with My Brother: Sentiments from Singing Sis

Day #26 is a guest post from our youngest sis, Singing Sis.  She has a successful music career, touring the world with her band mate, and is getting into style work now too.  In this post she shares fond memories of growing up with Brian.

I was born five years after Brian, and the “brother with Down syndrome thing” was such a normal aspect of my life, it took me awhile to figure out exactly what this implied.

As Katie mentioned before, when I was a very young girl, I had difficulty pronouncing my Rs and Ls. My other sis (Writing Sis) had a friend over to our house to play, and as I annoyingly shadowed the older girls, her friend asked “What’s wrong with how your sister talks?” Without a moment’s pause, I proudly asserted, “I have Down syndrome!”

Perhaps I learned the magical discussion-ending quality to the words “Down syndrome” from my big brother himself. My parents expected their four kids to help out around the house with various chores. For Bri, this typically involved emptying the dishwasher. One evening when my mother kindly asked Brian to unload the dishwasher, he sighed and said, “Helloooooooo! I have Down syndrome!” My mom responded with something along the lines of, “Nice try. Now get to work!”

Throughout the years, my brother and I have had all of the normal ups and downs any sibling relationship has. We’ve annoyed each other, called each other names, shot hoops together, and given each other countless noogies. Not to be outdone by his sisters’ oddball senses of humor, Brian has created many funny voices, pantomimes, and vocabulary over the years that keep the family entertained.

Like his sisters, Bri relishes time in the spotlight.  For a high school cabaret show, Writing Sis and I dressed as two sailors and sang the song “Honey Bun” from the musical “South Pacific.” Our pièce de résistance was the emergence of Brian in a hula skirt and wig, enthusiastically shaking his hips and grinning ear-to-ear. This “reveal” yielded thunderous applause and
hearty laughs from the audience.

A hundred and one pounds of fun,
That’s my little honey bun!
Get a load of honey bun tonight.
I’m speakin’ of my Sweetie Pie,
Only sixty inches high,
Ev’ry inch is packed with dynamite!

Read more: SOUTH PACIFIC – HONEY BUN LYRICS

I have been extremely fortunate to have the big brother I have.

His steadfast positivity and kindness give this little sister a lot to aspire to.

-MJP
10/2012

Deep Breaths:  Think back on the last few months, what is something that has made you laugh; not a little chuckle, but a laugh from down deep; the belly laugh sort.  Journal for a few minutes about the incident, or draw a picture of what happened. My brother loves the scene from “Mary Poppins” where they sing, “I Love to Laugh”. He’s on to something here.

Proverbs 17:22  “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”

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Filed Under: 31 Days with My Brother Tagged With: 31 Days, challenge, family, joy, singing

Previous Post: « 31 Days with My Brother: Music Sweet Music
Next Post: 31 Days with My Brother: Realization & Inspiration »

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Hi, I'm Katie (a Modern Martha, wife, and mom to five). I'm so glad you're here! Let's enjoy some cut-to-the-chase conversation over hot or iced tea, as we find grace in the unraveling of life (together). Let's exchange try-hard striving for hope-filled freedom as we settle into our position as a doer and a daughter—created by a Loving Father.

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