DAY 11 - Dallas Jr.

Today's Topic: A Deceased Person I Wish I Could Talk To

Dallas Jr. was my parents' first child. He was born in April I think about six years before I was. When he was born, the back part of his brain hadn't formed. That's part of the reason I think my Mom never saw him.

Dear Brother,

It feels so unreal typing that. Yet I also know that it is true... you're my brother. And I will hopefully get to meet you someday. I think we each have thought about you as motivation for us to endure to the end; because then we'll get to be with you.

I have defined myself as part of a group of sisters for so long, I wonder how I would be different if you had been able to grow up with us. How would each of us be different? I think you would have made us better. But maybe we needed to learn those things on our own or through other ways.

I often wonder how you are. What kind of music would you like? What kind of clothes would you wear? I can't wait to get to know who you are. I've thought of my dad as a father of girls for so long it'd be really interesting to see how he would have parented you. Would you be married by now? Would you have children? I hope all those things are or will be possible for you where you are.

I know you have many things to do in heaven, but sometimes I wonder if you look down on us once in a while. Did you wish you could grown up with us? played with us, celebrated with us, protected us? It's probably pretty great up there where you are, but I secretly hope that sometimes you have thought about us and wanted us like we want you. I can only imagine how joyful Mom and Dad will be when we finally meet you.

Whenever someone asks how many siblings I have, I always think of you. I used to say you, too, but after a while it was just a lot of explaining to do. I hope that's ok. I look forward to the first time I can really say that, and have us all be there. Our first real family reunion.

I'm trying. I love you!

Your Sister,
Hilary

Supercentenarian

I finally received my first Newsweek here at my new address, but the story that really caught my attention was the backstory on why women typically live longer than men. What I thought was interesting:

- Testosterone increases levels of bad cholesterol (LDL) and decreases good cholesterol (HDL). Estrogen does just the opposite.

- Men more commonly suffer from fatal conditions like cancer and heart disease while women more likely suffer from chronic nonfatal conditions like arthritis, osteoporosis, and autoimmune disorders.

So I asked Kurt what would happen since he will probably die first, and this is scary to me. He tried to comfort me by saying we could die at the same time from a carbon monoxide leak, but I told him that was silly and highly improbable. I don't want to live by myself until I'm super old after he dies. (68 of the 72 known "supercentenarians" are female.) I also read once that boys' hearts beat faster (which I have tested and found to be true, at least with Kurt, haha), so they run out quicker. Why is this?

I know there's no way you can know when someone will die, there are far too many contributing factors. But we plan on not living in a gangster town or owning a gun or committing suicide, so maybe that will help? I want to live a good, long life with my husband.

Y Not?

After our Divine Comedy plans epically failed (within like 2 seconds of their birth), we scrambled (for the hour before we were supposed to leave) to make it to the base of Y Mountain on time and in one piece (after a quick stop at Subway and Jamba Juice, where we met up with Jordan).


Um.... I almost died on Y Mountain. And I felt like the biggest wuss ever to set foot on BYU campus. If I was ever to be cremated, I would seriously consider having my ashes scattered along the trail, since I almost died there anyways. And it was especially embarrassing with Jordan there, who kept offering to take my bookbag and wasn't even breathing heavily the whole way up. MUTANT. WHO HAS DONE EVERY OTHER SPORT EXCEPT TRACK AND FIELD. Dang. Here's some other highlights of our night:

1. Pulsating all over my body as I hiked up the mountain. And feeling like I was going to puke.
2. Feeling like my head was touching the ground, it was such a steep incline.
3. Feeling like I was getting gout in my fingers. I couldn't take my rings off, they were so fat.
4. Taking the flat trail to the bottom of the Y, then having to climb up the Y itself (which is kind of illegal) to get to the top where everyone else who didn't want to come down was. Also near very loud Spanish-speaking people.
5. Getting a sweet scar on my leg climbing up said Y.
6. Feeling like I was about to plummet down to my death at any moment bear-climbing up said Y.
7. Watching The Princess Bride at the top of the Y. And having all the boys quote every single line... lol.
8. Falling walking back down the mountain. I'm pretty much awesome.
9. Swinging on the park swings.
10. Playing on this AWESOME big swing thing that looked like one of those horse-walker things, like in Princess Diaries 2.
11. Doing a cartwheel for the first time in a long time with Audrey.
12. Getting kicked out of the park by the cop, who apparently approved of our choice of Princess Bride, but said the park closed at 11.
13. Having to wait 20 minutes for a seat at IHOP, at 2:30 in the morning.
14. Kristian ruining his fries I was to eat by drenching them in pickle juice. (Ok, I guess he *did* buy them...)
15. Seeing Jordan eat his 6 pieces of french toast in 5 minutes flat, and draining a glass of water less than a minute after we had received them (I actually think this is his normal pace, not out of extraordinary hunger).
16. Awkward Jordan hug. Oops.
17. Awkward Kristian hug. Again.
18. Getting to bed at least an hour before Megan woke up for work (yay! we're improving! ^_^)
19. Waking up at 8AM to a mysterious call from Jordan... who turned out not to be Jordan.... which is another long story.
20. Disbelieving Jordan actually came with us and put up with our insanity. For a very long time. I kind of admire him for that.

P.S. Nick the Hippie Kid is actually very nice. =)