Crackers with Sis

Shh! Don’t tell my brother I know this. It’s a sweet story and it just might ruin it if he knew that I knew.

Ever since I left home for college, I’ve wondered if my brothers (ages 10 and 12) ever miss me. Of course, they’ll deliver hugs to me every time I come home and they always love visiting me at school… but I sometimes question if maybe these seemingly sweet gestures are done just because they feel obliged to do them or because they know they can get Biola caf. food out of it. But my mom told me a story the other day that convinced me that my brothers really do miss me.

Walking into the kitchen one day, while I was away at Biola, my mom watched Joseph (age 12) as he pulled down a box of crackers and 2 juice glasses. She thought it peculiar that he would need an extra juice glass and even more strange that he would dish out 2 servings of crackers, as he did. But then she noticed that Joseph had placed a framed picture of me on the counter, right next to where he was sitting. Then, he put one of those cracker servings in front of my picture, poured orange juice for the both of us, and began to snack as he looked at my picture. Not wanting to disturb what appeared to be a sentimental moment, my mom nonchalantly asked what he was doing. His response? “I’m just eating crackers with sis.”

I just thought this story was too cute to keep to myself. I think I always knew he missed me, but hearing this story was such a confirmation nonetheless. And, as I type this story with their pictures in front of me, I think I must also confess that I miss my brothers right back.