Do I really get to be with them forever?!

I love my family. I've been thinking about them lately. I know, they only live in Springville, and I in Provo, but sometimes I miss them. I don't get to see them as often as I'd like, that's for sure. I was looking through some pictures of them recently and laughed and missed and pined.

I won't do this all at once, but I'm gonna write about each member of my family. Who they are. Why I love them. Things I've learned from them. These types of things. I'll start at the youngest.

My younger brother Jaden is one of the best people I know. I only know three other people who are as unaffected by others' opinions, and they're all in my family too. He is 17 years old. He'll be 18 in July. He graduates from Springville High in May.

I get to go to his eagle court of honor tonight. He's had it mostly done for years now, but he finally finished it in true slow-bro fashion. The world just spins at a different pace for Jaden. That's one of the things I love most about him. He thinks for himself.

He loves few things as much as he loves basketball. You can try and credit three older brothers who also love it, but a love like Jaden has for it only comes from playing in the backyard until the sun tells you it's time to quit. I can't even count tell you how many times I come home and find Jaden in the backyard shooting all by himself. The kid loves basketball. He plays every chance he gets.

Another thing he loves is sleep. He loves it so much he sleeps through three alarms, fifteen rousings by my mom, and sometimes even from Aunt Liza. It's incredible. He was the only eight year old I've ever heard of that didn't want to get up on Christmas morning. He definitely gets this from my dad. The kid loves to sleep, and is dang good at it.

The kid also loves to have fun. He's one of the funniest, wittiest people I know. His jokes usually aren't loud, and if you're not careful you'll miss them, but I laugh harder at his than almost anyone's. He rarely misses out on a good time, because he's usually at the center of a good time.

He's only 17 and a half, but Jaden just gets it. He has his priorities straight and he just does what's right. He seems to have it figured out much quicker than most. He's quiet about it, but his actions show where his heart is. Family is a top priority to him. He'd rather spend time with his family than just about anything else. I've learned a lot from him in this regard. He came out to visit me with my mom in D.C. He's at every significant event of every family member. If he never said a word, and he doesn't normally share feelings like this, you'd know exactly how he felt about his family.

It's awesome to have a brother who's 8 years younger than you that teaches you how to be a man. I've learned a ton from Jaden, and I'm sure that will only continue. I tell everyone he's one of my best friends, and he is. There are few people I would rather spend time with than Jaden, and few may be too many. His ability to care for others inspires me. After all, he's the one that came up with our family motto, "Take care of each other". I want to be like him when I grow up.