So if I remember correctly, I was an angel. Yes, an angel in the Christmas production and I was very excited. Even though looking back now I think there are usually about 20 angels and 20 Shepard's in this productions, still nonetheless I was excited. It went very well I remember my grandparents coming and having a lovely evening. Then it happened.
We lived in our old house and I remember my mother telling me that she was going to the hospital because Matthew was coming a little bit early and that he wanted to see Santa. Now at 23 years old I probably would have said okay, sure have fun, good luck, hope its not too bad. But at the age of 4, it went a little differently. All I can remember is laying in bed with my mother watching Sesame Street in her room because I wouldn't let her go. My grandmother was already their staying in the night. And side note: I love my grandmother dearly, but I don't think at the age of 4 I could grasp what was going on.
I can remember grabbing onto my mothers leg and not letting her go. I can remember pleading with her to not leave until I feel asleep. Looking back I think it was the fact that I was four and couldn't' understand that sometime babies come early. Like really early. And I didn't want it impact Christmas in anyway. So I did finally end up falling asleep. And my lovely mother and father did end up leaving and going to the hospital to have my brother. It's a funny story my family always tells, because lets admit it is kind of hysterical.
I don't remember this, but apparently at the age of four, I was convinced that his name was Thomas. (For the record, his name is Matthew Joseph, in honor of my grandfather on my dad's side) I think I may have for the first week of his life called him that. Even though my parents tried to convince me other wise. I was four, give me a break, my little world had changed forever. I don't remember this either but it always gets a laugh. My father, again love him dearly, but don't ask him to dress up for a public affair. I usually end up getting asked, "Does this look okay? or "Can I wear jeans to this?" My dad just doesn't dress up, and I am totally okay with that. Usually its sweatpants and jeans and work boots. Anyways my dad put me in a pretty red dress, and PINK tights to visit my mother and brother in the hospital, not a very good fashion. But I was four, and aren't all four year old cute no matter what??..
The two things I do remember are the little Elmo stuffed animal that I got him and when he had to go back into the hospital because he was jaundice. The family that shared the room when they left gave me a sugar cookie. Must have been where my love of food started. And I believe to this day my brother still has that little Elmo in his room at home.
19 years later, happy birthday to a great brother!!! So I've decide to list about 10 or so great memories I have, some are funny, some are sad, but they all will live on in my heart forever. In no particular order.
10. My brother crawling all over my kindergarten graduation cake, on video. Yes, I was about ready to blow out the candles and then plop. There goes Matthew trying to crawl through it. I think he got both hands in it and a foot before my parents could get him out. I then proceeded to throw a pretty big temper tantrum and run to my room and pout because it was MY cake. After about five minutes I think we all came out and enjoyed cake again.
9. Countless hours spent in the driveway racing bikes, dribbling soccer balls, shooting free throws, playing ping-pong, playing one-on-one. He even though four years younger usually won. And many times it would end up in one of us getting yelled it. It was still fun.
8. I was nowhere near the athlete that is was and still is today. But he came to every soccer game, basketball game and many of the track meets. He suffered through a lot them. But he was still there. To this day it still does get thrown in my face many times when I was home from college and didn't want to or was too tried to go to a game, that he went to all of yours to support you, so your going to his.
7. Spending about two years together in the band at LCS and winning two Sherbne Pageant of bands together. It was pretty Sweet. Then watching our band director come to soccer games, basketball games to watch him play even though he wasn't in band any more. And still giving him a graduation gift and coming to his party. That is the kind of kid my brother is
6. The countless car rides together planning who was going to get the backseat and for how long and the arguments that look place and the rationales were priceless!
5. Watching my brother his 7th grade year break is humerus and miss out on playing modified soccer. Then watch him in 8th grade break is collar bone which prevented him from starting on the varsity soccer team. His favorite sport his love. Then again watching him his senior year break his fibula, but without even knowing it play two games before it was diagnosed, and then go on to come back 5 weeks after it happened and play in a sectional game. That's right my brothers a beast.
4. Watching all of his soccer games. The countless amounts. I can't even remember. As an eighth grader he was fastest on the team, the defender assigned to guard the opposing teams best offensive threat. And that same assignment came throughout his entire career. Reading the message boards saying how he was something special. The daily newspaper constantly writing about his name. Yet I believe his senior year he only score 3 or maybe 4 goals. What he did and still does today doesn't end up in the box score. It's the effort plays that win games.
3. Watching him play soccer now in college is so much fun. I remember having a conversation with him the day of tryouts and him saying, "Marissa, I don't know if I am good enough to make this team, and I don't know if I am going to make the cup, But I'm going to go down trying." This coming from the kid who started every single game MVCC played, scored the winning goal in a game, and collected an honorable mention from the NJCAA, Region three. Next year, his goal: to do the same thing.
2. Watching him play basketball, even though he is the shortest kid on the team he still gave it all his heart. Granted there have been some moment he's probably not so proud of. But don't we have them all?? But watching him is senior year was amazing. To see him play even though he didn't have much to work out, with heart and determination was amazing. At 5'7 give or take the kid can touch the rim, and if he gets out in front of you, be prepared for him to have a trip to the free throw line. Even though I wasn't there he ended his career with 33 points. Pretty impressive.
1. Even though these two moments were most recent it was still pretty ingrained in mind. My mom called me up and told me to go online to www.thedailystar.com/hometownweekly and look at the front page article: Getting to Know: Matt Struckle. It was an article where coaches praised him saying that he will leave an impact on LCS soccer players for a long time to come. His basketball coach said that he not only takes responsibility for his actions on the court but off as well. I was never more a proud sister at this moment in time. The second being his graduation and awards banquet. Which I believe I did talk about this in another blog. But still, to watch him go up on that stage time and time again and get the Coach's aware for all three sports he played, basketball, soccer, and golf was beautiful. Then to watch him get Athlete of year, made his year because I know that he had worked so hard for it. This was probably the best part of the night. watching him get scholar athlete of the year. My mother shocked, since my brother always had a litle more fun than I did. My brother took it in stride considering he already had 4 plaques sitting at his seat. To this day, even when my family gets together and my mother starts to nag him about something My brother always says, remember I was the scholar athlete!!
It reminds me of something my friend grandpa always used to tell my mom once my brother and I started school. "Now Marissa she is going to do very well with her academics and go on to do great things, and now Matthew he will do the same, however he is just going to have a little bit more fun doing it." That to this day truly emphazies the differences between the personality of my brother and myself.
And on one final note. There is a picture from his graduation party that I love. My two aunts, my mom, dad, and myself are all holding him up while he was laying in front of us. It is truly him. Laughing and having fun, but at the same time the kid that works as hard as anyone I've every known no matter he circumstances so...
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MATTHEW!!!
marissa :)
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