Baby Brother's Graduation

My brother graduated from basic today!!

I'm so impressed with him. He's never really finished anything before, especially something this difficult. If there's an easy way out, he's prone to taking it. For example, when he was younger, he took Kempo Karate. He was amazing at it. He passed all of his tests with flying colors. This kid has some serious ADD, but karate was one thing he was able to concentrate on. His instructors were so impressed by him. Then he stopped. No real reason. He just didn't feel like going anymore.
He hated chores. He never made up his bed. He left a trail of clutter around the house. He would stay out all night with buddies doing nothing... hanging out at Waffle House. Or bull riding... (like a real bull, not the kind you find in a bar).
He went to tutoring and summer school every year, usually because he didn't do the homework during the school year. My dad would sit with him every night while he did his work, but it didn't matter. Somehow, he still ended up spending his summer doing school work.
After high school, he didn't know what he wanted to do. Military was always an option, but all of us were afraid of that decision. We were scared he didn't know what he'd be getting himself into.
Of course, he'd been talking about going into the army since he was 5 years old. When he was 10-12 years old, he and his buddies would dress up in camo, put on war paint, and go running around the neighborhood, usually ringing people's doorbells and running. But that's totally different from the actual army, where you can't run home to mommy if somebody hurts your feelings or beats you up too much.

Well, he showed us. Last week, he was hiking 12 miles in the woods in his boots, carrying a machine gun (the heaviest one) plus his pack. Other guys were dropping out as they hiked. They couldn't take it. The old Harrison would've said, "Forget this!" and went with them. Nope. He kept going.
The week that he had to go hand-to-hand combat with his sargeant, the guy hit him in the jaw and knocked him out cold. I was ready to run down to GA and beat some serious army butt. My brother is like my own kid. We're 8 years apart, and I spent the majority of my preteen, teenage, and college years taking care of him. So when I hear some guy knocks out my brother, that whole "mama bear" thing kicked in and I was hot. But he reassured us he was just fine. Plus, what were we gonna do anyway? :)

Today was his graduation. I've been having a hard time not being there for it. I've been to every major event in his life, usually the one recording and taking pictures. I drove him to and from school. I made his oatmeal for him everyday for a snack (yeah, I know, weird after school snack, but he loved it). I checked up on him at school when we were there together. I saved him from getting in major trouble when he was in kindergarten (he had gotten on top of a table, and his teacher wanted him to be paddled for it. SO not happening!). I listened to him when he was upset about our parents' divorce. Sure, we argued and got mad and yelled, but I was always the first one he called if he was in trouble.

So yeah, I'm having a hard time with it. I wanted to be there. But I guess this is what it's like to put the needs of your own family above everyone else's. Sucks. Anyways, he's home now, and I'm REALLY excited to see him. Pictures to come!