Brotherly Love

I would like to think that our family is one of the more loving ones around but there are days when I am discouraged by the lack of kindness between brothers.  We have the normal issues...arguing, whining, bugging, competition, whining, arguing, bossing, irritating, whining and arguing.  You get my drift.  Each boy has a role in the family.  We have our enforcer, I can do things better and faster, interrupt peaceful play, steal-the-ball-just-because-I-can son.  He would be the oldest.  The middle child is the leave me alone, you're hurting me, I'm-whining-loud-enough-so mom-can-hear-that-you-are-bugging-me son.  And last but not least, get-whatever-I-want-because-no-one-wants-to-see-me-sad-or-hear-me-cry would be our youngest.  These titles are given for the sole purpose of understanding the story that follows.  My boys also have many other descriptions that are wonderful and kind and gentle but for the sake of a better story we will go with the afore mentioned adjectives.

Russell received a phone call from a friend asking if he would like two Jazz tickets for the night.  He needed to let them know right away as the game was starting in 30 minutes.  As we talked about it as a family and tried to decide which boy would go with Dad the dialogue went something as follows:

"I should get to go because I like the Jazz more than you do."
"I should get to go because whenever mom asks me to help with Mason I do it without complaining, unlike you."
"I should get to go because he ALWAYS gets to do everything fun."
"I should get to go because I get ready faster in the mornings."

It was finally decided that a coin toss would be the only way to make a fair decision.  The rules were stated with full clarity and agreement was acknowledged from both sides...call it in the air, the coin will land on the carpet, best 2 out of 3.  No poor losers and no poor winners. Winner would go with Dad and loser would get a treat with Mom and not have to do a chore the next day.  Son #2 agreed to let son #1 call it first.  Heads was called and heads it was.  Son #1 would continue to get heads.  Second flip, heads.  Son #1 ran upstairs to get his jacket while middle son sat on the couch staring straight forward.  He rapidly bat his eyes as he tried to fight off the tears and be brave.  It was enough to break a mother's heart as I started the rapid eye blink as well.  Son #1 called from the stairs, "Stockton, you can go."  "REALLY!  ARE YOU SERIOUS?  I CAN GO?"  "Yes, Stockton, you go."  Stockton bolted out the door with his dad.  I went upstairs to find a very tearful oldest son.  When I asked him why he had given up the tickets he had won fair and square all he could say was, "Did you see his face?"  Awww!  Now that is a boy who sometimes may not like his brother too much but proved to me that day that he really does love him.  It is moments like those that make me feel like the daily battle is really worth it:).  The tickets ended up being on the 4th row,  Douglas ended up getting a shake at Leatherby's, and I ended my day with a prayer of gratitude for a wonderful husband and 3 amazing boys who may not always act like they like each other but at least love each other.