"They needed thier 'Hey Yas' and their what-have-yous." - Porter Mason

Steve grinds coffee beans at Trader Joe's while I mug; Grandma Jeanne's 81st Birthday; my gorgeous cousin Lacey & I share cake at our commitment ceremony; this is after I started a chant of "BARBER!" and got him to do his second keg stand; my Mom had to drive all the drunk cousins home from the fancy yacht party; Go Navy- the stadium at 7:45ish am; Lacey & I are poncho-riffic; the annual covers toss means they're graduates; world's most handsome little brother of ever, Ensign Steven D. Barber; Mom, Steve, Daddy & I (and Bud Light cans); cousin Brian has had it; Daddy and Steve survery the common people from the sky box party suite; Uncle Greg assists one in need (drunk Dad); cousin round up with me & Steve, handsome Air Force gentleman Mark & Lacey; family Navy t-shirt portrait time (no, my fly isn't open).

I've been away this weekend in Maryland, celebrating my little brother's graduation from the Naval Academy & his formal commsioining as an officer. Steve was in the first class to enroll at the Academy after 9/11. He graduated with distinction out of a class of some of the smartest students in the United States. He's going to have his Master's at 22 in Aerospace Engineering. He's brilliant and brave and wonderful. I don't know what else to say except, I love him so much. He's one of the most kind, humble and courageous people I know and I can't believe we're related- I mean, I'm clearly a total asshole.

Here's the the Barbers, the Kalbs and the Donohues- as my Dad Terry would say, the Fightin' BDKs. I love my family so much, and for us all to be together again for the first time in so many years was marvelous. Everyone's funny and crazy and smart. I am so proud of them all. And especially of the world's most bestest little brother of ever. I love you Steven, and you make me proud and inspire me every single godamnned day.

And Dick Cheney can suck it.