Brotherly Love

Around here we love to listen to the NPR radio show "Car Talk," hosted by brothers Tom and Ray Magliozzi. Brogan has a "Car Talk" CD we checked out from the library in his CD player and listens to it at bedtime.

The show is very funny, and one of the aspects I enjoy most is listening to how these two brothers get along. I'm sure they had squabbles as kids, but they complement each other so well, and their fun-loving banter is what propels the show. (Although Braden says, "They just need to stop laughing so much and get on with things.")

More than anything I want the boys to grow up and have strong relationships with each other. I hope they'll be friends as adults and that they'll remain close and enjoy spending time with each others' families.

Over the past year Brogan and Colson have grown quite a bit, and they play together more, as opposed to playing next to each other. Braden has started playing with them too. It's not easy for a 10 year old to play with a 5 and 2 year old, but they've been able to do it and have fun. Yes, they bicker and argue from time to time. And yes, the littles have learned that they can make the other cry simply by shouting "You're a bad baby!" But on the whole they get along well and it makes my heart happy.

Recently I've observed that Brogan and Colson hug each other a lot. I started noticing that there was a pattern to their embraces. This fall we started attending a community Bible study. It has classes for preschool children, and both boys have their own age-segregated class. After every class I'd pick up the boys, and when they saw each other they'd run to each other and hug. After class, we'd go pick up Braden and they'd call out (because they were strapped in car seats and therefore restricted to "verbal hugs") , "Braden! We missed you!"

As I've watched them, I realized that whenever the littles are reunited after a separation, they run to each other and hug. It's terribly sweet.

I know they'll grow out of this habit. I cannot imagine them being teenagers and hugging each other in public. But I hope that, in their hearts at least, there will always be a little of this: