Let me introduce you to.....

This week, I was lucky enough to get to spend everyday out on the lake with my whole entire family.  All of my siblings, their spouses, and their little ones.  I loved it!!  There were so many heavenly moments where I would just sit back and an overwhelming feeling of gratitude would come over me as I thought about how "I get to keep these people forever."  Each member of my family is so important to me, and we are all so close.  However, I want to take the time to tell you about my brothers.  I have always appreciated my brothers, and have seen us having special relationships because I am their baby sister, but this week as I looked at my big brothers, I honestly thought to myself, "my brothers are the coolest men in the world."  They may never know the influence they have on their baby sister.  The way that they live their lives, including how they tease and play, and share their testimonies, and work hard and willingly, and sing, or how they look at their wives, or teach their children, or obey the Lord, does not go unnoticed by their 19 year old sister.  Each one of them are family and spiritual giants.  They are among the strongest warriors in the Army of God.  They are the best husbands and fathers and uncles and sons and brothers anyone could ask for.  The testimonies they bare are worked for.  The love that they show is sincere.  The smiles they give are contagious, and the differences they make in the world are limitless.
Let me introduce you to these fine men....

This is Troy.  Doctor Yort.  My oldest brother.  He is an Anesthesiologist in Bismark, North Dakota.  He is probably the quietest of all of us kids.   He has a very dry, say-it-as-it-is sense of humor, but manages to do it in such a way that no one is ever hurt or offended.  He sings random little ditties, and speaks backwards.  He is also one of the most intelligent people I know.  His amount of knowledge is so vast! I have relied on Troy for many a school projects. Troy used to roll me back and forth across our kitchen floor in my walker when he would babysit me.  He paints; I ruined some of his oils when I was little.  I would go downstairs and crawl into bed with him when I was scared.  He likes to leave me really long voice mails on my phone just because my answering machine says to leave a BRIEF message.  He also likes to write beautiful poems that make me cry.  He is the best wake-boarder in our family!  So far.  I'm improving.  Slowly.  Troy is a scout master!  Those scouts are in for a treat.
I love my Troybee.

This is Matt.  The second oldest.   Matty.  I am one of the few people who call him that.  I feel it is appropriate.  He is a Mortician for the family bizzz.  He is also the Bishop of a rather large family ward.   Matt is one of the most genuine people you will ever meet.  He is so sensitive to what goes on around him, and to how others feel.  Matty's jokes are usually silly puns, much like my dad's.  Matt gives me hugs every time he sees me.  Everytime!  It's my favorite.   He likes to flirt with his wife, even in front of me.  I think that's cute.  Matt is humble and competitive and encouraging and honest.  We like to tease him about being the most righteous child in the family :), even though that is something more admirable than teasable.  When I was tiny and scared, I would go downstairs to crawl into bed with Matty as well.  I was the first one to get to Matt at the airport when he got home from his mission.  He started crying as soon as he was holding me.   I remember watching Matt in Madrigals and The Princess and the Pea at Viewmont.  He has a really good voice.  He is also a bit of a perfectionist.  Ha, I think Matt and I are very similar in a lot of ways.  I like that.

This is Adam.  He is the 4th child, but the 3rd brother.  It may have taken Adam and me a while to figure out that we are best friends, but we are.  We like to make each other laugh, and we are good at it.  We are so much fun together, really!  Adam knows just what to say to make me feel better, but he also tells me what I need to hear.  Even if I don't want to hear it.  Adam loves to sing.  He expresses through singing, and let me tell you, it is a miracle of a sound when he does.  Anyone who hears him will agree.  Adam likes animals and bugs and water and basically all the good that life has to offer.  He knows how to find all the good too.  Adam accepts people.  He makes people laugh.  It is one of his gifts.  He lights up a room when he walks in, I say.  One time when we were little, we threw our dog a birthday party.  It was Adam's idea.  We invited all of the neighborhood dogs.  They came, too!  Adam and I would sit outside of our cabin for hours whittling sticks, and trying to catch squirrels.  Adam is original and bright. We should have been twins, we are that close!

This is my bro-in-law, Scott.  But you wouldn't ever guess that he was an in-law if you saw us together.   I am the little sister that he never had.  He gets away with saying things that no one else would.  He is the  Financial Director for Goal-Zero.  He just got called as a councilor in the Bishopric!  He is also rather quiet, and he is still trying to get used to how often our family hugs.  I think he secretly likes it.   Last halloween I dressed up as a nerd.  I told everyone I was Scott.  He is a nerd.  Sometimes when I have been especially punk-like to him, he throws me over his shoulder and spins around really fast, thus making all of my blood rush to my head.  He picked up on having a little sister real quick.  It wasn't always like that, though.  When he and my sister were dating in high school, I had a big crush on him.  I was only 6.  That didn't stop me from kissing him on the cheek even before Shandee did!  Of course, I grew out of that.  Scott reminds me that I am beautiful, and gets mad at me when I have a hard time believing it.  He tries to teach me how to ski better.   One time he rescued me when I was at a friend's house and had a bad feeling.  He picked me up and we just drove and talked.  We like to talk.  Well, he mostly listens, but he does have wise advice to give.  He and I have a special relationship, seeing as he is my only bro-in-law.  I love him just as much as my brothers-in-blood!

Well, as you can see, I have been very blessed.  Thank you Troy, Matt, Scott, and Adam.  You are the coolest men in the world.