"date" night

I would have left the title unadulterated, but I was afraid. Before any family members got overly excited about the prospects of a date, I decided to make sure "date" was in quotes. I didn't want to be the cause of any false hope or unfulfilled expectations.

Tomorrow night I have dinner plans with one of the special ladies in my life. When the year started I had four, but that number has grown to five since mid-November. They are all special to me for different reasons, and I cherish my relationship with each (although Lydia's is taking some work given her fear of people right now).

Anyways my plans are with lady #3 (in order of appearance in the Derek life-story, not rank). This particular lady come on the scene when I was but a young pup. From the moment we met, a close bond quickly developed. We would spend hours together in her playpen or chilling on my parent's bed. She was my little buddy, especially given the abuse I took from my elder siblings (I have scars and a mutilated polar bear to validate my point). As we grew up, I played Barbies, yup Barbies, board games, and many other things with her. Once the middle school years hit, those activities stopped, and she drifted to background. However, we tried to make time for one another when we could. This continued until my the middle of my senior year in high school.

By this point I had much more free time given my decision not to swim. My romantic relationship was also on the fringes of extinction, so we plunged back into the good old days of our youth. We grouped up against my parents to make fun of and abuse them (in nice ways). Giving her rising fame as an 8th grade lacrosse player, I became one of her many adoring fans. I led the band wagon which drove right to a league championship. When summer hit, the other siblings came back from college, so we fostered those relationships more during those months.

Over the course of the next four years, my relationship with lady #3 continued to flourish. She came to visit at times or called to inform me about the shenanigans of our father. When feeling down or in need of a good laugh, she could always be counted on to pull through. I continued my role of passionate lacrosse fan throughout her high school years, since my semester ended before her season did. The summers were spent working and with old friends, but there was still ample time to enjoy each other's company. While on family vacations, we took on the title of being one another's "vacation dates" given the dating, engagements, and marriages of our older siblings. Personally, I think we had more fun because if we got sick of each we simply said so.

Eventually the roles switched as she moved away for college, and I journeyed back home to relieve my parents of any "empty nest" anxiety. Quickly, she made new friends while working hard at her studies. Keeping in touch became harder, but it made holidays and vacations all the more sweet. Once again I played the part of number one fan during her first season as a collegiate athlete. I journeyed with the 'rents to games all over eastern and central Pennsylvania for the sake of watching her (and being with dad and mom). I had fun.

This year watched me head out closer to her school of choice to teach my fourth graders. I wasn't sure how this would affect our relationship given the closer proximity between us. It has been good for me because I get to cook for her every so often as well as hang out with her during other informal settings. The part that has really excited me is the new spin to our relationship.

Prior to this past year, faith never really held sway between the two of us. We would talk occasionally about it, but not to any significant extent. I think the close distance between us has changed this. We exchange emails and calls about what God is doing in our lives as well as how we can encourage one another. She isn't afraid to ask me tough questions which require me to go back to the Source in order to offer her wisdom while challenging myself. God has truly blessed me with the spiritual maturation He is working at with her. Plus as her older brother, I am rejoicing to watch her fall more and more in love with her Savior. She is one of my closest friends and beloved sister. I am blessed.