Best Buds

My youngest has looked up to her chosen “big brother” since we moved here and he and my oldest became friends. She attends his athletic events, especially his baseball games, and holds up a #20 sign. He makes time so say hi and take pictures with her on the field after all the games. And even honored her request for him to autograph her #20 sign. Somewhere along the way, they became best buds, even though years in age separate them. When he scheduled his senior pictures, he even told her that if she wanted, he’d take a few with her. So, cue the dress, hair, and jewelry in preparation for his biggest fan to get some extra special photos to capture their sweet bond. It’s something I love about the upperclassmen of Harper. They make time for the littles that look up to them and make them feel special, maybe even larger than life, after games, and even in the halls. This photo shows Mal giving him a few bracelets she had made for him - one in Harper colors to represent where he came from, and one in blue and yellow to show where he was headed at ASU. And the best part, he seemed truly touched and immediately put them on to finish taking their photos. Later, his mom told my oldest that he proudly had them hanging on his gear shift in his truck, which enabled him to take them everywhere with him. After moving into his dorm room, we learned that he had requested that a photo be printed of the two of them, which now is displayed in his dorm room. A little touch of home that allows him to show his “little sister/buddy” when people ask. It really is such a sweet bond they share. And in the meantime, I know a little girl that is counting the days until she can once again attend a game and proudly hold up her #20 (or whatever number he is assigned) as she watches her buddy play in college.