"Life is what happens when your busy making other plans" - John Lennon (in honor of my baby brother)

So today's post is quite different than my usual posts. First my beautiful adventurous mama has gone to conquer a like 13 mile rafting overnight trip in the Grand Canyon.. Shes my best friend, my encouragement... and usually my backbone.. sometimes it is hard for me to know what to do or how to handle things but she has always been there to give me the push in the right direction, yes I am mama's girl.. but I am damn proud of it. Anyways so she is out of town and today is my "little" brothers last prom EVER. He is a senior.. so weird to say because we are exactly a year and 7 days a part...so when I was a Senior he was a freshman.. and I remember seeing him in the halls and all that.. and I guess you really do not take in how fast your "little" brother.. is no longer "little". In fact hes quite the opposite. Hes 6ft tall... tall, thin but not sickly thin.. and just now no longer just a boy... "Life is what happens when your busy making other plans" -John Lennon once wrote, sang and spoke. Boy do these words make sense now... While I have been busy caught up in my own chaotic life, growing up(or at least attempting too) being self absorbed, selfish, and narcissistic.. like most girls are as teens... I missed getting to know who he was, or what struggles he was having, his good & bad days, what he loves, his first date, his first love, heartbreak, I missed all of that. When you are young three years between you and a sibling can seem like a huge gap... then when your turning 21 and hes turning 18... the age gap.. is no longer so far away. I love him more than anything in this world. I am proud of him, he deserves everything he has worked his butt off too get. He will be attending FSU, this summer/next year.. and it is hitting me... now.. that I will no longer come home and be watching the TV and see him run in grab a snack and rush back out to track, then 2 hours later come home and ask my mama whats for dinner strip down to his boxers (yes he thinks they are shorts if worn in the house... its quite funny ha) and he plays xbox... in "his xbox room" that he took over sometime after I left for my first year of college. I guess its bittersweet, I love him and he is such a good kid.. and I know everyone says this about their family.. but honestly he is the sweetest nicest guy.. and any girl is going to be lucky to find him.. hes a keeper.. my mama raised him right... and the girls that break his heart.. better be prepared.. because I may be sweet & look sweet but I am very protective over him. SO today is a wonderful day for him and I pray for him and all the others that they are safe tonight.. they have so much ahead of them. So I am excited to see him dressed up all dapper.. and take pictures with his gorgeous prom date, and then go have fun. I just wish these summer days would slow down... it's not enough time... I am not ready for him to leave... but I guess this is how my parents felt when I left for college.. you love them and it breaks your heart to let them go.. but you have to because it is their right and their life.. to go out and learn, discover, embrace, love, the world. You realize you can't stop the inevitable, you cant turn back the clocks.. and watch, rather observe the time go by as we grow up.. and our parents get older too.. it all happens so fast.. and I guess when you realize that everything is going so fast.. you get to step back and realize.. wow ... this is how it is.. and I need to make the best of the time.. I have with everyone in my life and those who matter most.. So that is what I will be doing from here on out. I am blessed to be able to travel as a family this summer once again.. except this time.. I will take every opportunity to be with together as a family... I will pay attention closer, take it all in, and take tons of pictures, because these moments as trivial as they seem... pass by in a fleeting moment.. and you do not get these moments back. So tonight as I go take pictures of his last prom.. it brings back memories of mine.. and four years... have slipped away, and turn into a blur of moments, memories, songs, smells, heartbreaks, love, life. So lets celebrate life as we know it now! We do not own tomorrow. SO LETS LIVE IN THE MOMENT.
Xo,
Erin Nicole



I made this and yes the music runs out... before the end .. but hey I never said I was good at making YouTube videos or even good at doing this on the computer so watch if you want if not your loss :)