Keeping Up With The Joneses: South Carolina on my mind

(Wrote this blog during a very emotional moment this past Sunday, January 3rd)

Today we left my baby brother Jacob in South Carolina.

I knew this day was coming just was never prepared for it. We left for South Carolina Friday morning at 2am so the kids could sleep and so we could have a full weekend preparing my brothers new apartment. Not to mention my brother had to pull a Uhaul behind his truck so we knew it was going to be a long ride. We arrived at 10am central time and walked into an awesome 1-bedroom apartment in Hilton Head, actually Bluffton, right outside Hilton Head, but its all the same, I mean he is 10 minutes from the beautiful beach......does it get any better?? We unloaded all the furniture and it took a couple hours to get everything set up, we then made our way to Walmart to get my brother all his essentials, mostly FOOD, to make it over the next couple weeks. We all fell asleep pretty fast, it was a busy day. Saturday was reserved for shopping and sight-seeing Jacob's beautiful new place he will call home for the next 16 months. We had such a great day, we shopped the outlets, visited the beach, had some yummy food, signed the apartment lease, shopped for more food at Kroger and finished hanging curtains and other things in the apartment. Before we knew it, everyone was in bed and it was just my brother and I sitting on the couch together. We sat there together until 2 am. Granted, he was playing xbox and I was typing a blog but we still talked and laughed. It was an awesome ending to a great trip, just me and my brother hanging out. We woke up Sunday morning, went to see his college, and then said goodbye. A very emotional goodbye for everyone in my family.
I miss him so much. already. Its 8 o'clock right now and I just miss my brother. I took a long shower when we got home and basically can't hold back the tears. I am so excited for him and tomorrow morning at 9 am he will start his new life. He will start a life-long career in a sport he is very good at. Golfing is his life, ever since his middle school days on the golf team leading into highschool, and now as a college student. But really does his new life have to be 2 states away from his sister??!! I mean, he has stepped out on a limb by himself. I wish I could be with him. Certainly not in school, but just be there with him, for support. This is going to sound silly, but I don't feel as complete with him not near. I don't know if its the fact that he is growing up or the fact that in these next 16 months I can't just call him to run up to my house. This is going to take some major adjusting. I mean I know he will always need his sister.....wink wink. And I will always, always, always be here for whatever he may need. He just has to say the word and its done. I love him like I love my own children, he will forever be my baby brother.

Pictures from our trip this past weekend.

Silly Brother-in-laws