Not a Story--Just a Statement

I am pooped. We just got home from spending the day at Mulligan's, a golfland, arcade, bumper boat, laser tag, kiddie ride, play place. We went to a birthday party with good friends of ours. We have five kids. You can see how there really was no other option for us. Right?

Bryan went (took us!) to Mulligan's with us willingly, happily, excitedly. He has no kids. He wouldn't be booed if he said, "Nah! I don't think so. I am not up for the noise and crowds and cooties." He went with us and endured all that "fun" without being obligated to. Isn't that amazing? I feel like that just speaks volumes in my blog in memory of my brother.

That place just takes it outta me. And he went on purpose.

Yet ANOTHER Cousin Remembers Bryan:

The Karl Klungreseter Family

Hawaii

From a letter that our cousin Kerstin (Klungreseter) shared with my parents in a letter she sent them recently:

"I was in the Marching Band all through High School. When I was a junior, we had a tournament near San Diego (I can't remember where). We got there, put on our uniforms, marched onto the field and played our show. As we were returning to the buses, to change out of those hot, itchy uniforms, I heard my named called.

"Kerstin!!"

I turned around, looking for the voice, and there was Bryan. He came over to me grinning and wrapped me in a big bear hug and said, "You looked great out there!"

He told me he couldn't stay long, but he wanted me to know that he'd watched me and he was proud of me.

I will never know how he found out about it, but I don't care. Because he was there. How? doesn't really matter. My sister and brother have very different memories of Bryan. But they don't have that one. And even if it's only special to me, it's still special. And I just wanted to share it with you."

By: Kerstin Sophia, 22yrs old

2 Corinthians 1:8-9
January 30, 2009
We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.

Fire!

Here kids, a story with a teachable moment:

Uncle B loved chicken tacos. Homemade. Grandpa's special recipe. He always bugged Grandpa to make them for him. Once, when he was still living at home in their old Escondido house, he made them for himself. He was maybe 17? Wait! Wait! In order for this story to be more effective, you need to know that Grandma and Grandpa FINALLY had made some improvements on their older home. They remodeled the kitchen and were enjoying the new cabinets and appliances. Grandma thought her little kitchen was so pretty at last.

Okay, so Uncle B decided one day that he could make his own tacos, complete with crispy shells cooked in hot oil. The secret to yummy taco shells is really hot oil. So Uncle B heated that oil up until it was nice and hot. He put the tortilla in the pan and went into the living room where HE FELL ASLEEP (remember the narcolepsy?). And caught grandma's new kitchen on fire. He woke up to the smoke and smell, ran back into the kitchen, threw water on the fire (A HUGE NO-NO with grease fires) made it worse, then in desperation grabbed the skillet pan, ran it to the side door and threw it flaming outside in the grass. He stepped on the burning corn tortillas with his bare feet. This is a true story. I guess it is not so funny after all. He did put out the fire. The house did not burn down.

Grandma's new kitchen was black and stinky. But her son was alive. I don't think he ever made the crispy shells again. From then on, I only remember seeing him microwave flour tortillas! And here is the the teachable moment for my kids: Let Grandpa make you his crispy chicken tacos!

Another Cousin Shares a Story:

A Memory from Briann (Klungreseter), Bryan's Cousin about her brother, Kristopher Klungreseter and my brother:

"On Christmas morning I was helping my children open their gifts and trying to get a Ninja Turtle out of the annoying plastic they use to wrap things these days and I found myself remembering a Christmas that we spent in Lake Elsinore at our house there. You, Bryan, your mom and dad came to our house that day and my little brother got a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Blimp thingie... Bryan spent two hours trying to put it together and inflate the blimp only to have it fly out of his hands and fly through the air as it deflated the balloon and it only stopped flying when it smacked into that wall where the fireplace was with the weird mirror. Bryan tried so hard to convince Kris that was how it was supposed to work and he smiled so big at my little brother that Kris finally believed him. Before you all left that day, Bryan inflated the blimp and left it in the living room for Kris to find in the morning. When Kris got up the next day and found his blimp that "his Bryan" had made for him, nothing could remove the smile from his face. (believe me, I tried...) From then on, my brother has shared a secret admiration and special place in his heart for your little brother. I don't even know if Kris remembers the blimp or where it all started but I do and I wanted to share. I just wanted you to know that even though my brother isn't the best with words and expressing himself, his heart aches along with the rest of us. I will carry my memories of your brother all the days of my life and will remember him forever."

Thanks for another glimpse of Bryan's big heart cousin. Love you! Kelly

PS I will post a better picture later but Briann is in the family pics (along with her parents) on the side of the blog. Her younger brother and sister weren't born yet. Hi Kris and Kiersten! And Uncle Karl and Aunt Rebecca! And the rest of you Hawaii family! :0

And thanks for the helpful hint Uncle Karl. Look! I did it. Now I can save the daily verses too:

1 Peter 3:8
January 28, 2009
Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.

Again, just what I needed to hear tonight! :)

Anywhere, Anytime

He is asleep!

Bryan had the ability to fall asleep in any location or position for any length of time. No adverse conditions deterred him. When we were growing up, I remember walking past my brother's room and he would have both hands clasped behind his head, his knee bent and resting across his other leg, lying on his back. I would talk to him, my mom would talk to him. We thought he was awake. How could anyone sleep like that, like you were sitting at the beach admiring the clouds carelessly?

Bryan would come to our house and lay on the ground for his back massage and book basket routine and fall asleep, right in the middle of the floor. He would be at my parent's listening to our chit chat. If the conversation grew dull, he'd be snoring in 30 seconds. He was amazing. Secretly, I think he had narcolepsy. Or maybe we just bored him? Or maybe he was like the energizer bunny--and he just stopped when he sat? Or could it have been that he was food service industry and worked very late and slept later? If he wanted to be around this crowd, the one with kids that went to bed at 7:30 pm, he had to sacrifice his sleep schedule. I always sorta envied his David Letterman hours (that is what I call the night owls who stay up past 1:30am and need not worry about an alarm (child!) waking them a few hours later).

Speaking of sleep, goodnight!

Corn Dogs, Tikki Punch and a Mason Jar

I have plenty of drinking cups at my house. Pretty ones, practical ones, throwaway ones, funky ones, plastic ones, glass ones--we have cabinets full of cups and glasses. But Bryan always drank out of a glass mason canning jar--wide-mouthed--when he visited our home. Who would CHOOSE to drink from a receptacle with ridges at the mouth that causes involuntary drooling? Bryan.

He didn't like water and we don't buy anything else to drink here (except milk) so he usually brought his own libations. His selection varied over the years: Arnold Palmers, some tasty Mexican mystery tea, Dr. Pepper, Peach Lemonade. His longest lasting favorite was Tikki Punch and Sprite. In a mason jar.

And the first thing he did after he arrived for his Wednesday visits was to check our freezer for corn dogs. Bryan liked that we usually had them on hand (those and chicken dinos!) and he would complain if I was out. When I would go through my periodic "healthy foods" stages and veto buying foods that included ingredients I can't pronounce, he would get snarky with me. He wanted a corn dog and mustard and his drink in a mason jar. I cannot remember a time he was here that that was not a part of his routine. Funny huh?

On Sunday, I was enjoying some quiet time at my home alone. I have no idea why it came over me so strongly but I felt compelled to offer a toast in his honor. I cried and prayed and thanked the Lord for his life and asked God to give Bryan my love. And I took a big swig from my mason jar! Here's to you Bro!

ps For my pride I need to add here that I DO know how to space and indent and set up a paragraph but this crazy blog always makes all my posts into one loooong pargagrah! There, I feel better now.

My First Friend

Kelly & Bryan

Sister & Brother

I feel sorry for "only" children. That is rude to think, to type, isn't it? After all, those of you who grew up as the only child in your family have not sought my pity. You didn't ask me to feel sad for you. You don't know what you are missing anyway since you have never had a sibling. What can you compare your childhood to? I am not asking you to. This story is not for you, just read tomorrow's. I am not trying to offend some of my favorite "singletons".

A child who does not have a sibling has no one that they can just say a key word to and have a brother or sister instantly know what he/she is talking about. They don't need the back story. No one needs to fill them in. They just KNOW. It is a part of their history, their fiber as much as the one sharing the memory. Of course, like me, the only child does have their parent(s), but it is not the same. Grown-ups don't perceive the world like children do. They don't always see the humor in spilled milk and other common childhood occurrences that kids giggle about. Brothers and sisters are God's way of giving some of us some head-start practice on relationships. My brother was my first friend.

I am going to rattle off some of the keywords that Bryan would immediately understand. You won't and that is the bummer part. But I still want to do it. For posterity. To remember. There is no one else who would "get" this stuff. That is why having a brother is such a gift. My kids: mommy promises that I will tell you all the stories that go with these words later.

Rubbing tires, the Poof, Toastmasters, Miss Hill, "steamed" turkey, Double Delights, Mat Maids, the bathroom heater, Little Guy, first period swimming, the back of Mrs. Mason's pick-up, Taco Snacks, Grant Finale, Cassie Yusko, Kutzner, Loyal, Strong and True, Busy Bee, Mike the security guard, Midnight & Bandit, GATE, the pool table aka: folding table, the sock basket, the christmas ornament, stringing cranberries, Y & R Ashley, AquaNet and spikes, your thigh and the purple medicine, nickle slots, Jilberto's, our Bull, Bamboo House, Christmas Eve movies, I could go on and on. I have 36 years of memories and one-liners.

Bryan was my first friend, and I didn't even have to pick him. God gave him to me. That is what a sibling is, a friend He thought you should have. I am so glad we were friends Brother. And since there is Biblical evidence that those in Heaven know or are at least informed of the goings on here on earth (read the evidence for yourself in Revelation Chapter 6) , I hope you are having some good belly laughs right now. No one else is--but you KNOW.

PS-Do you read the verse that pops up at the bottom of this blog site? I do everyday. I wish there was some way that I could save those for each day so that when I publish this blog for my kids, they would be there as a memorial of His Truth. They are randomly generated by that gadget i added to the site, I have nothing to do with them. Yet everyday they speak to me. Tonight's was just right.

Belly Tubing!

Bob, Bryan, and Gary
At Least Someone Had A Camera!


Big Bear Some Year--Bryan is in the Flaps

I can't remember which year it was, but the snow was no good. We went to Bear Mountain and paid to tube on this yucky man-made stuff. There was more dirt than fluffy snow. But we wanted to let the kids play and Bryan liked tubing better than skiing in those days. He had some buddies with us in the cabin. I remember meeting his friend Gary for the first time. I didn't take a lot of pictures. I was busy I guess, with the three little ones.

Anyway, we were hopeful even if the conditions weren't perfect. We got there and on the very first run, Uncle B talked Reilly into going down with him. They loaded up on the huge inner tube, Uncle B on bottom, of course. Reilly was perched precariously on his back, clutching his sweatshirt for dear life. I am not sure what I was doing, probably bundling up one of the babies, but I was not ready with my camera when they came flying down the icy slope. Can I just say SHUCKS? Because if I HAD taken a picture, I feel certain that we would be the recipients of the America's Funniest Home Video Grand Prize. Bryan was grinning from ear to ear and making some brave war cries. Reilly was terrified and joining in the screaming, but it wasn't courageous.

They hit a bump (you knew it was coming!) and off they soared through the sky. I must admit that I laughed. Isn't that wrong? I know I should have been terrified for my little girl as she flew through the air but it was just so darn funny to see. I soooooo wish I had the video poised and ready. Instead, I just laughed. My mom panicked. We all started to run to them. But here is the best part--Bryan landed first and then Reilly girl plopped right down on top of him. They finished the ride down the slope on Uncle B's belly! He had buffered her fall, saved the day. Too bad I didn't get a picture!

Desperado

A Couple of Years Later...

See Kate--the little girl in the corner with the six-shooter? Aren't we a nice family? I am not sure if we have any more old time pictures from our Big Bear birthdays but I know we have earlier ones with just the four of us Klungreseters. I guess my parents passed on the "tradition" to my brother.

We have rented a cabin in Big Bear for February 5 this year. It is Bryan's 37th birthday. Our family is gathering to spread his ashes over the snow he enjoyed. I want to make french toast and sit by a big fire. I am going to try and beat my kids at Spoons--a card game he played with us. I hope there is enough snow to tube (I will share a hilarious story about Uncle B and the Tube next time!). If the little one-man Old Time Photo place is still in business, I want to get a picture taken. I can't turn back time, but I can carry on the tradition. Bryan won't be with us in the flesh, his body has returned to the dust it came from. But he will always be with us in spirit. His memory lives on in our hearts. Spreading his ashes won't be the final chapter in Bryan's life, as long as one of us is alive to share his story.

Where's Kate?

Big Bear February 2002

Bryan lived in Carlsbad but he HATED sand. In fact, I can only remember us enjoying his company at the beach once while he lived there. He was born in the winter. We live close to the mountains. Ever since we were kids, Bryan liked going to a cabin in the snow. For many of his February birthdays our family rented a cabin in Big Bear and prayed for snow. He hated sand but he liked snow. Go figure. We would hang out in front of the fire and have his famous texas french toast, watch movies, play cards, and play in the snow. I have lots of stories about those times and lots of pictures to share. But this is gonna be a quickie post because I am pooped.

So today you get this random fact about my eclectic brother. He really liked to dress up as a desperado, a bandit, a bad guy. Really. In the town of Big Bear, there is this little one-man photography place with old time photography and props. Now to be really honest, the place gave me the creeps, the guy gave me the creeps, and dressing up like a saloon girl gave me the creeps. But it made Bryan happy. So I went along with it.

In the above picture, my boys were only babies and couldn't say no! But Kate was nearing two and she would have NOTHING to do with any of the stuff involved with a period photograph. Bryan begged, bribed, and bullied but she would not have it! It gave her the creeps too. Check out the ammo on Bryan's chest! Naturally I had to be a sensitive momma and comfort my Kate while the rest of the family had their picture taken. So I just noticed I am not in this one either! Well, you will have to wait to see the one where I AM a saloon girl. And Kate obliged her Uncle B and joined the picture. To be continued...