Happy 40th to our Biggest Brother!

To the biggest "Bear" in the family:

Happy Birthday!!!

I am so glad you started this family off right, and were willing, somewhere, on some level, to jump into this world first, and set such a nurturing and playful tone for the rest of us to join.

Can I share a little childhood sentiment with you for your birthday?

I pulled a dozen pictures of us from a very abbreviated photo album on my shelf.  

1985-1994.

As I think about you today, here is a list of some of my favorite thoughts and memories of

one decade in our family.

This first photo (above) is the ball-pit at Chuck E. Cheese. The ultimate of 80s family fun. And the ultimate devastation for us to lose a trip there one day because of a "spilled milk" debacle... or a sour milk left in the laundry room debacle, and no one willing to fess up to it.

Ft. Belvoir House, Circa 1985:

I remember you, Jer, got to sit on a real chair at the table, with James, while Joey and I had the step stool booster chairs at the dining room table. And some of my earliest belly-laughing memories were in this room as we went running the loop from dining room to kitchen and living room, while Dad played the “Boogie-Woogie” on the piano: our first lesson in following music tempo!

Christmas Morning, 1987:

This picture brings back some Ft. Belvoir memories for me: Mom’s zip-up robe on Christmas morning... and all the mornings! Names on our new sweatshirts, cream-colored lace curtains, the globe nightlight, a babysitter who brought over his WWF wrestling figures to play with you after I went to bed. New Years eve watching “back to the future” and “Indiana Jones”, and doing puzzles all night long. Matching “safes” for piggy banks, and a robot voice on the “speak and spell”.

My 5th Birthday Party:

Thanks for sitting by me on that great new grey couch!

Trip to Utah, circa 1989: Born and Bred BYU Fans!

Gillespie Kids, circa 1989: I think of hours every year spent in The Olan Mills studio... and parking lot!

This was the year I got to go to Barton Elementary for Kindergarten, and felt so grown up that I went to the same school as you, while Joey and James were at Markham:

Niagara Falls, Canada, 1990:  My main memory of this trip was the pigeon targeting Tara’s hair at the statue of Liberty!

Armand’s Pizza!  

No Gillespie visitor’s trip to DC was complete without this stop in Old Town. The “Penalty Box” upstairs, “Hats in the Belfry” across the street, pitchers of Root Beer on tap, and deep dish pizza.

Welcome to Orleans Street! I remember paper route prep in this front yard, climbing trees, riding bikes, basketball in the driveway, and the blue ford family vans:

Circa 1990: Christmas with the Lyle and Olszyk Families.  Years of kickball, Flashlight tag, and firefly catching to be had!  And swear word swapping...

Circa 1991: Years of scouting!

Thanks for getting your Eagle, and clearing all that Poison Ivy.  Thanks for sharing your wisdom with me as I packed for girls camp. One tin cup for your breakfast bowl, and hot cocoa, and even to drink water from.  No mess kit needed.

And thanks for coming my first year of camp and re-pitching all the tents at Goshen for us!  It was a super-hero moment in my life.

(Also, I had forgotten the fabulous wall of peach-colored curtains in the living and dining rooms. Classic hide and seek space. And the soup tureen on the china hutch. Gillespie beans might be the only thing it ever held!)

Thanks, Olan Mills.  1992.

And here is new baby Jake!

This day at Woodbridge High School changed my world forever.  

Sorry Mom was home sick, or getting ready to give birth to Charie, but I needed to see this.

Thank you for the music!

Four of us went on to be in such period clothing for the annual "madrigal dinner feast" each Christmas for the next 6 years after this photo. You led the way.

#Woodbridge Singers Alumni

This picture holds more memories than you would think, 1994: Faux Leather covered benches, that stuck to the paint in the humidity, Jakie’s pacifier teeth, and teenager Jeremy, holding baby char, nurturer extraordinaire. Sports fan every hour.  And temper, which may have caused 2 or three dents in the basement walls/doors. You are the most gentle, and the most fierce person I know.

A great Sunday dinner moment with Uncle Loren, and you in your Mickey Mouse hat. Coolest Disney hat ever. That Christmas before, half our presents may have been from the Disney store in the mall. The fancy mall. Not the outlet mall;)

Homemade cake at the white table, under the Layton Farm painting. circa 1994.

This kitchen table saw years of family dinners, family counsels, birthdays, card games, giggling games of telephone, homework, and projects. Cold cereal, Kool-aid by the gallon, and your nifty wooden push tool/frozen juice concentrate extractor could always be found in this kitchen.

25 years later, you are still an amazing big brother and example to me. You have worked so hard to have the good life:) Gorgeous, smart wife, and 4 hilarious, talented, and witty children.

I love you and all your 40 years, Brother!