My brother Joe painted a barn in a golden field for my 49th birthday. He painted a house flanked by colorful autumn trees for my 50th birthday. He just gave both of them to me when we met at my parents’ house in Springfield in October. I have only been asking him to do something like this for me since, hmmm, the early 80s. He is pretty laid back (my total opposite, ahem*).
But I love my brother and I love my paintings. So now I am thinking they were worth the wait.
He is gentle Joe, my first best friend and partner-in-crime. He once saved me from drowning and later from something far worse. We were two peas in a pod! He grew up to be a man I admire, pastoring, then serving his community as a Police Officer, then back to pastoring. He married so well and has 4 amazing kids. I am so glad to have such a great little brother (Except maybe when we were in Springfield at church on Sunday morning, he kept introducing me to people as his ‘little sister’. I’d laugh and then say, “Actually I am his older sister.” Then he’d say, “I believe that actually went without saying I think they could tell.” And? I wanted to smack him).
He still watches over me and listens to my heart and I still pretend to beat him up (I always win because boys can’t hit girls). And I still, everytime I see him, sing Joe the song I sang to him when I was 3 and he was almost 2 and I actually thought the song was written for and about him:
I’ve got the Joey Joey Joey Joey down in my heart
Down in my heart, Down in my heart!
I’ve got the Joey Joey Joey Joey down in my heart
Down in my heart to stay!
“Ive got the Jeanie, Jeanie, Jeanie, Jeanie
down in my heart- down in my heart, down in my heart
I’ve got the Jeanie, Jeanie, Jeanie, Jeanie
down in my heart- down in my heart to stay!” (So there!)
The local news paper once did an article on me and titled it “Unsung Hero.” One of the police-officer buddies told me after that I could not longer be called an un-sung hero…and here I am getting ‘mentioned’ again. Thanks?…I think.
There are some people I’d like to thank today. If it hadn’t been for my parents obvious willingness to “try again” after having you (Jeanie), I wouldn’t be here today- I am forever indebted to them. I also want to thank my siblings who have had as much a part in shaping my life as anyone else- led off of course by Jeanie who is responsible for much of my direction…the younger one always follows the older one and sometimes get’s left in the dust to answer parental questions such as, “What in the world were you thinking,” but of course, the older one isn’t there to tell me what I was thinking so I can attempt to speak for myself…ah yes, siblings- I am truly indebted to them and greatful for them. I owe them much.
Can you really show those paintings here? Is there no copyright law pertaining to this?
Seriously Sister- I cannot believe you’ve done this…even after I have let you win every fight we’ve ever had…but I love you still.
Allow me to turn on my time machine and transport you to a dorm room in 1979 where Joe Moslander resided. Me, a would-be student body president, he a keeper of the Laud-O-Vaught Urinal Center. (yes, you had to be there…)We were normal college boys back then; every dorm room had a weight bench from the landfill with the stuffing cascading out vinyl cracks hard enough to lacerate your back; and a case of spaghetti-o’s pushed into the corner under a pile of dirty grey socks. We wore muscle shirts and sported long hair. We played Asteroids on a real arcade machine with a roller the size of a pool ball that was down the hall and drank Pepsi by the gallon.(me, Diet Pepsi) (It was Bible College so there was no booze). And we made sure that we were never late for dinner even for cafeteria food because no one had any real money to go and get Cheese-Frenchies at Kings Food Host. (It was Minot, ND after all). I referred to Joe as Arnold (who was destined to be the greatest Terminator of the them all) and he referred to me as Lou (after the incredible Hulk who would later become Doug “King of Queens” Heffernan’s next door neighbor.)I could take you to the very room and still see the mirror on the wall with a photo of a young girl with a killer smile. And I still remember as if I had just walked through those old wooden door posts saying, “Hey, Joe, how’s your sister doing?” And the rest as they say, is history…
Joe, I love ya, bro…
Soooo sweet….so loving. I know Joe will really enjoy this too.
The picture’s are perfect for your loving story. Wish you could have had the one of you and Joe holding hands as you napped together…at one and two years of age.
Yeah…I am glad you posted this. I forgot he brought those paintings to you. I enjoyed them for several months and then he swept them away. Seriously, he gives everything he draws/paints to other people. I have had to get a little nasty with him about it. Now I have a huge 30 x 30 painting of Corbin, when he was two and we were in Denver for the family reunion, sitting on top of my piano. When I get my camera to work again, I will post it on my blog.
What a cute story!!! I love that you thought that was the song- those are the best memories as kids. The paintings are so pretty, and who is that BEAUTIFUL lady holding them?!!! She’s stunning! ;)
Jenny…whoever you may be…that beautiful lady holding those paintings is my sister, Jeanie! Song-bird, author of a billion thoughts, breaker of a thousands hearts, creator of an Historic family (just wait and see); Matriarch-in-waiting. Her name is Debra Jean…she’s the best!
There is nothing like siblings that get along. Sure makes me remember when your dad and mom pastored and Joe used to hang out with Lisa and I. Hey ask him if he remembers Billy’s Ribs–We used to OD on barbecue in our younger days. Tim and Tammy remember the Late night romps with Lisa doing mayhem to the church folks homes and cars. Oh what a Night-late December back in (I digress). Joe seems to have quite a talent there. Love the Pictures. Don’t know if I have any of those kind with my brothers (there were five of us). How our parents did it makes me wonder!
Yes I remember Billy’s Ribs…was just thinking about them and our ‘hanging out together’ about a week or two ago- really! I recall getting the honor/priviledge of playing drums for The Dale & Lisa Show a couple of times…those were the days…I think we thought they’d never end.
Yes, Joe, I remember when Dale and Lisa were the cool, young, new newlyweds interning under dad (albeit my same age, pretty much). That girl could sing and play the piano! I remember hanging with them around the piano and singing many a Sunday evening and especially the song “More of You.” And they were suppose to help find me a husband but did not do their job! :) Hey, remember when Dale had that group before we knew him and he was sort of the next Dallas Holm in our eyes??? Ah yes-memories.
“Go ahead……say I am dead and gone….laugh at me….yes, I remember it all. Especially right after (and for no specific length of time) you remind me of it. :0)