I’m telling you this story, to tell you another one.

Michael, *Kirstine, Barry, Kathy, Jerry & The Fonz

The Fonz has 5 kids. Kathy, Jerry, Barry, Michael and Me (her favorite).

She had Kathy in April, Jerry in April, Barry (should have been in April) in February, Michael in April, and me in March. (What this says for her sex life, I don’t even want to think about *gag*)
Needless to say, April is a birthday month. Not only are 3 of my siblings in April, there is Kathy’s son who turns 25 this year (Yes, that woman has a twenty-FIVE year old).
You’re going to be reading a lot of Happy Birthday posts so I better get you all up to speed on us.

So, Fonz’s kids…

I thought we were all pretty different until I rolled into my twenties. I figured out that all of us have the same sense of humor. You can put us in a room together for days and we won’t kill each other. I think. I’m pretty sure. No, Kathy would kill us.

Kathy: You all know her already. What’s not to love about this woman? She has these truly amazing friends in her life. I have always been envious of her friendships because her friends REALLY love her to death. If you get to know my sister, you want her to be your best friend.

Jerry: This man can smile. His smile makes you smile. He’s so laid back and cool all the time. He’s a 17 year old stud in a 40-something year old body. He still thinks he’s a stud. Shit, who am I kidding…he is a stud. He has a look about him that makes you always ask, “What?” He’ll just laugh a little and say, “What? Nothing.” all innocent like. He’s a hugger. I love my brother SOOOO much. I love his voice and laugher. I love that I can call him and talk shit and he will just laugh at me and talk shit right back. He loves me too. I’m his baby sister.

Barry: Poop head. *pause* didn’t hear me? POOP-HEAD. I’m not in the mood to say anything nice right at this moment about this person that ignores his baby sister. He calls EVERYONE else, but not me. What does he think? He think I’m going to talk about Boob hair or something?
POOP.HEAD. and I will think of something nice to say about him later.

Michael….this is where the post was headed. His birthday is in 8 days. I have been thinking about what I am going to write about him.
This is the brother that every older brother should be. He was obnoxious, mean and terrorized the living shit out of me. He also stuck up for me. I was going to save this for his birthday, but I can’t….He wrote me an email several years back. I don’t have it anymore, I printed it though.

He said, “It was your first day of school. I dropped you off at your class and watched you go in. I was afraid for you because you cried for three solid days before you started school. I was in another playground, but the fence between your playground and mine wasn’t far from where my classroom was. I love you Kristine, you will always be my baby sister, that little girl that was so afraid to be alone. I will always be your big brother, the boy that made sure you were safe and never alone.”

It never seemed like it at the time, but he was always there. When it mattered, he told me the truth. He lied to me when I needed to be lied to. He yelled and told on me when I was being bad.
I never ever felt like my brother didn’t like me. He did a pretty good job.

Let’s see how the next 30 years go, Fish.

* I’m still a little bit butt-hurt about my own mother mis-spelling my name!