Christmas 1980

I think I might have brought you this photo already, perhaps years ago. But I was feeling nostalgic, and this photo made me feel good. Eunice writes on the back of this photo that this was taken at Christmas of 1980. I don’t know if we planned to be seated like this, but I love it! We have Matthew, Michelle, Judd holding Julie, Eunice holding Nicholas, Mark holding Isaac, Jennifer, and Kim. The Schneiderman’s bookend all the Millers. So Cute!!

While we are spread across the nation and celebrating with families of our own, I think back to these days when we were all together. While it’s been years since we were together, we remain family, which neither time nor distance can change. As we begin this holiday season, may you have peace and joy with some childlike wonder thrown in.

Brothers

I don’t really like Webster’s definition of a “brother”. To me it’s very staid and clinical. It states that a brother is “a man or boy in relation to other sons and daughters of his parents”. It doesn’t tell you what brothers act like or how they treat one another.

Here we have two sets of brothers, Matthew and Nicholas Schneiderman and Mark and Isaac Miller. Matthew was 9 when Nicholas was born, Mark was 10 when Isaac was born. Both Nicholas and Isaac were the youngest children in the their families. Matthew and Nicholas are at Grandma’s house, Eunice Miller. Mark and Isaac are at our house in Ohio with great Aunt Alice in the background.

I don’t know any time in my life when I didn’t have my brother there. Mark and I are only 13 months apart, and I’m sure we were a handful for our parents. But having my brother so close to my age, I always had someone to play a game with, explore outside, or even pick a fight with. When we get together, those habits we formed in childhood are easy to pick up now that we are older. So once again, I have someone to play a game with, explore places, or even argue with. Since we both think we are right, those discussions can be quite fun.

I look at these photos and think of the men that these boys grew to be. A part of me see’s these little boys when I think of them. And I’m thankful for the men that they have grown to be for these little boys are still there.

I wish I had other photos with my cousins but these are the only ones that my family had. If you’d like to include you and your bother in this or future blog posts, jsut send me a message and I’d be happy to include you here.