Today is a very big day for someone. I’ll give you a hint. That someone isn’t me (even though I’m easing the dosage on my cough medications and now I can think clearly, which is – in fact – a useful trait in my day to day life. Go figure).

But no, not me.

He’s about as tall as me.

Can eat as many Cheetos puffs as me.

And he does in fact have the same last name as me.

It’s my little brother’s birthday! Streamers, and confetti, and fanfare all around!

My little brother turns sixteen today. It definitely is weird to think of him as sixteen.

I guess it would be weird to think of me as twenty, but I’ve already warmed up to my being twenty. My eight year old little brother being sixteen on the other hand? Not so much.

 

All us Koontz kids have totally different personalities that can be tied back to our infancy. For example, my older brother and I were those kids who hid under the tables in Sunday school class. I would eventually emerge for craft time and my older brother was more than content to build a block castle alone.

My little brother never had a care in the world. “Just point him to the toys,” my mother would say. After about five minutes, he would already have five friends and have won over every teacher’s heart in attendance.

There was a few years in the far beginning that my little brother didn’t talk. That changed quickly. Now that he’s older, he’s a bass and can be heard booming anywhere in church/Homedepot/Walmart/you name it. No need for a tracker on that one.

This attractive picture I kept because I sent it to my mother with the caption, “KIDNAPPING!!!!!” to which she replied with all the motherly concern in the world. . .

 

“That’s fine.” And I just thought that was really funny.

 

My little brother is a video game enthusiast, Doctor Who fan, and takes more pleasure in yelling at his computer screen than I’ve ever seen anyone have.

Around two in the afternoon, you can hear urgent conversation bursting from the war zone of our living room, “drop your weapon and run!” “I’m out of ammo!” “You’re a zombie, I have to shoot you now.”

It gets intense.

 

Out of everyone, the greatest past time we share is taking shameless selfies in public. Sometimes, even with perfect strangers.

 

We definitely weirded this guy out in the elevator. Funniest part is he was on his way to fix the door of our hotel room.

 

When you can’t find my little brother on the computer, in the bathroom, or in the kitchen, you can find him on the floor with his best pal.

 

 “For just pennies a day, you can help an animal in need.”

He’s very smart and good with numbers so he’s thinking of being an architect or math teacher, though the world is his oyster.

Happy birthday little brother! I’m sure there’s an embarrassing story I’m forgetting to share that I’ll kick myself for later, but I’ll let you pass this time.

Keep growing closer to God, keep your huge smile on your face, and I hope you have a great Year Sixteen!