Happy Birthday little brother!
Every once in a while, I think that I ought to use this blog as a way to mention people in my life and how they’ve influenced me. I think that’s a pretty good way not only to get to know the people around me as they are right now, but it’s also a deeper insight into ME, because of how they’ve touched my life. There have been so many THINGS going on to talk about that I hadn’t focused on the PEOPLE, but today I get a chance!
I talk about Jon and Hannah all the time, and I even discussed Britta and the Musketeers. Heck, I’ve even talked about work people quite often, but my family members deserve more time than the random baby announcement or a quick thank-you for babysitting. So, today, it’s all about Dave!
Dave is my little brother…well…not so little anymore…he turned 34 a week ago. We used to joke around that my older brother Mike was a little crazy, and it was because there was a four year gap between him and any other sibling. So, when my parents saw how Mike turned out, they couldn’t let me be the same and tacked Dave on to the end of the family to give me a playmate and even out the personalities! He he he. I may have been a happy accident, but Dave was a playmate just for me! And we really were playmates! Our house was the hub for both our sets of friends, and I remember several times when we would agree to play pirates and ninjas with the boys on the trampoline as long as they would then play house with us girls in the basement fort of cushions and blankets. I even remember one summer night when Dave and all of his friends slept in bags in the back yard, and then all of my friends and I slept out front in our tents. The combination of groups made for awesome summer block parties of kick-the-can, red rover, and the Hall game. We really had a great childhood!
Well, Dave couldn’t be my little playmate forever and he went and grew up and has lived a life of his own. He joined the army to become a medical nurse and ended up earning awards and accolades during his career. He got to choose his final post, and poor thing, ended up in Hawaii. What a great turn for us though, because that’s where he found his sweet wife Maile, who brings so much love and fun into our family. You’ve gotta love those Hawaiian hugs every time we say hello or goodbye. It was also good for us because then we got to travel to Hawaii to see them wed. Ahh. What a great excuse for a vacation! Dave and Maile eventually moved back to Utah…Who knew that the island girl would love to snow ski?! We’ve loved having them home, and the parties at their house are always amazing fun.
Dave has started a new project that is going wonderfully well! He’s opened a shop in West Jordan called The Hidden Keep. It’s a gaming store that you wouldn’t believe! He doesn’t do computer games or Pokemon or anything…he’s very focused on a few specific board/role-playing/miniature genres that bring him a very specific clientele and has him loving the work. They also sell certain cards and comic books, and really, it’s the ultimate geek store you will ever visit. But!…it’s clean and bright and open, so the wives of the geeks come with their men to hang out, read books, and sometimes even play games of their own. He even has a handful of teen boys that get dropped off by their parents on Saturdays at 10 a.m. and then come back for them at closing. Dave’s great and his store is a safe place, so parents feel good about leaving their kids there. There are some great quotes, very strategically placed throughout the store as well as some awesome nods to cartoons we loved as kids (see if you can find the Thundercats insignia), and the stock is immaculate. For all the plans and schemes that Dave had when we were kids that were going to bring him his first million…this one may just do it. Well…maybe not a million, per se, but he’s making a good living doing something he loves. You don’t get a much better deal than that! I’m so proud of him and have enjoyed visiting the shop myself. I can’t wait to start my OWN game night with friends from Salt Lake down in the Hidden Keep. I WILL maintain my standing as the Lord of Catan!
My favorite Star Wars quote in Dave's store hangs over the toilet for all men to see.
Congratulations, Dave! I’m so proud of you, and am so thankful that you kept me from turning too much into Mike. 
He he he. Love you too Koko!
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