To Courtney: Love, Your Brother Andrew

I've compared my siblings, all 8, to a car....you see if we siblings were a car traveling together in sync, probably to some peaceful destination, what part of the car would I be? Follow me here.... I'll start with Steve. Steve represents the 4 tires. Dependable, durable keeping us all grounded on our journey. Next is Page. Page would be the steering wheel, keeping the car safe and keeping us all on the right path onward toward our destination. Matt might be the accelerator always wanting to go faster than the speed limit allows, looking for the path less traveled in hopes of using the 4 wheel drive. Christopher might be the radio/cd player entertaining the passengers with whit while keeping small children entertained. Jesse is probably the radiator..keeping us all cool and comfortable. Lucy the brakes, a little cautious about accelerator but has everyone's best interest in mind. Stephanie would be the shiny red paint job our car shows off. Me?.....muffler. That brings me to Courtney. You see Courtney is the engine of our car. She is the heart and soul of all the cars parts. We do not move without her. She gives to all of us in some way. Our car wouldn't work if the engine wasn't always firing on all 8 cylinders which ours does. We know if we take good care of the engine, the engine will take care of us!  

I don't think my relationship with Courtney flourished until we were adults. In our early years, my immaturity often embarrassed Courtney and wreaked havoc on her teen age years. . However, today it's different. I've repented of my adolescence. Courtney knows I love her. I can go over to her house at lunch time unannounced for a quesadilla. I can talk to her about the gossip in the office or maybe fill her in on the cougar football scene so she can talk the talk on her blog. 

Courtney finds herself on the cusp of welcoming into this harsh world a very lucky child of God. I can't think of a better home to be born into. She will see to it that the baby is surrounded with the love of our Heavenly Father. Courtney has a knack of making the environment around her peaceful, filled with love and laughter. Great learning of a spiritual sort will be had by this baby. She truly is one of the great mothers on the earth today. 

When this next baby comes I will think back to Courtney at 15 or 16 years old. Maybe a Friday night at the Clark house. Courtney and some friends watching the movie “She's Having a Baby.  You know Alec Baldwin and Kevin Bacon. Classic! It got a lot of run at our house...don't think Mom really knew what was in that movie The young couple so desperately wanting a baby. And they do. And Kate Bush singing...”I stand outside this woman's work...this woman's world.......I should be crying but I just can't let it show......” 

I am blessed to have great women in my life. Today this is my tribute to Courtney Jane Kendrick.