Happy Birthday Josh!!

I love other people's birthdays! It gives me a chance to honor the people I love and shower them with praises. Today is my big brother's THIRTIETH birthday. I had to put that in all caps in case he were to forget how incredibly old he is.
Let me begin with saying that Josh is one of my most favorite people in the world. He is hands down one of the funniest people I know (he happens to share my awesome sense of humor so sometimes we may be the only two laughing but that's only because no one really appreciates how awesome we are). He also happens to be one of the sweetest, kind-hearted men ever. He is a fantastic dad to little Ollie and he is half of my favorite couple in the entire world!

Josh, Rheanne, and Ollie on Rheanne's Grad day. What a good looking family!

We define cool.

But Josh and I weren't always the best of friends. He certainly did not appreciate my arrival two weeks before his 5th birthday. He was the baby and I was about to take his title (though not for long since Stephen was born less than two years later). To this day, Josh knows how to get under your skin (I just have thicker skin now and a better appreciation of his humor...oh and we have Darin to pick on now). He would be so mean to us! But that all changed when he fell in love with Rheanne (awwww!) Rheanne brought out the real Josh that I saw glimpses of as a kid. One time Josh heard me crying in bed one night when my mom was in the hospital. He came in, held me as I cried and told me that everything was going to be okay and mom would be home soon. Far different from the boy that would endlessly tease me but a true representation of the man he would become.

We're adorable.

Josh and I grew closer as we grew up and realized that we were the most alike out of all the Ekhoffs. Our bond was clearest the day I got married and Josh and Stephen gave the speech heard around the world when they left everyone in tears with their touching speech about what it was like being my brother and having to give me to someone else (I'm choking up just thinking about it!) We all knew Stephen would make us cry but when Josh cried...I lost it..it was unexpected and spoke loudly to what we developed since I graduated high school and moved away. It's because of my dad and my two brothers that I found such a great guy. I always knew I'd have to marry someone that could at least match the humor my brothers had (these guys are seriously funny and set the bar pretty high). Who knew I'd meet someone with a perfect mixture of Josh, Stephen, and my dad?

Stephen and Josh making everyone cry at my wedding.

The truth is...Josh is one of my heroes. He gave up school so his wife could finish and raise a child at the same time. Now that Rheanne has graduated, Josh gets to go back to school and I am so proud of him. Josh is one of the smartest people I know (just ask him..he'll tell you what his AP test scores were...Seanna knows too since he tends to rub it in her face). He's not just my hero. I know he's a hero to Stephen and to his little boy. Josh works so hard for his family and he tries his best to be the greatest husband, son, dad, and brother he can be.
I really wish I could be with Josh as he ages into another demographic (THIRTY!) but this little bloggy will have to do :)
Joshie..I love you and I promise never to throw cereal at you again as long as you promise not to make me eat it off the floor :)