Happy Birthday to a Good Outlaw!

George Orwell's novel, "Nineteen Eighty-Four," has forever put a negative spin on the phrase, "Big Brother is watching you." But, as little sister to a truly great big brother, I must admit there are many times in my life I was mighty glad my big bro was watching.

There was the time I went hiking as a young girl with my brother and fell into one of Wyoming's car-sized piles of cactus (not really...I'm exaggerating...but only a little). Andy helped me walk all the way home, even though I was bawling like a little girl, and even though I'm sure he would have preferred to keep hiking with his buddy.

There was the time just last year that my car was vandalized and Andy helped me scrub it off even though he was crazy busy with work.

And then there was the time, when I was about six, that Andy saved me from a bully on the bus. This big ol' mean kid was making fun of me, and Andy, a not-so-big pretty nice kid, heard him from a few rows down. He walked up the aisle, looked that kid straight in the eyes, told him to never, ever make fun of his little sister again, and promptly picked the kid up by his neck and bonked his head into the window frame. Then he took my hand and big brothered me all the way into school.

Biblical thou shalt nots aside, Andy's act of childhood heroism encapsulates what makes him such a good big brother--and man. He loves God and humankind and will do what is necessary to protect his loved ones and honor his beliefs about right and wrong, even if it bends the law just a bit.

Andy is what my Grampa would term a "Good Outlaw." Andy is the best big brother a girl could have. And I will love him and fight for him all my days.

Happy Birthday, big brother! I'm so glad you've been watching me all these years. And I'm glad I've been able to watch you become a successful filmmaker and a loving husband and father. Cheers!

 

Andy with mom and dad. Cute kid, eh?

 

See, I told you he was a superhero.

Andy wasn't a total saint. I had to kick him around a little.

 

Me, 4, as Alvin the Chipmunk and Andy, 6, as a pirate on Halloween.

He's always got my back. What this photo doesn't show is that we're standing pretty close to a pretty sheer cliff face in Glacier National Park.

 

At the premier of Andy's feature family film, "The Wylds." That same film will be releasing as "The Adventures of Chris Fable" in Wal-Mart on January 10. Go buy a copy and support a good outlaw!

 

Andy becomes a daddy. (Photo by Marianne Wiest).

We love you, Andy!