Brian's NYC

Here is my speech I wrote for Sean & Tina's wedding...

It takes a great man to put another's life before his own. It takes dedication to follow through on one's career goals, and endure whatever hardships may come along the way. It takes humility, kindness, compassion, patience, and love to always be there for your brother...

But enough about me. This occasion is supposed to be about Sean & Tina. I started thinking about this speech and how I was going to tug on everyone's heartstrings, not leave a dry eye in the house. But then I thought that i should take the opportunity while I had it to roast the sucker.

So while I have everyone's attention, I'd like to say that Sean used to bully me around a lot as a kid. Well, not so much bully as BOSS. I'm surprised he didn't have a time clock for me to punch in and out of when I got home from school. From "Get me a snack," to "Brian, wake up, get up out of bed, and see what is making all that noise outside," it was always something, but he was my big brother, and for some reason I looked up to him. The orders would usually not be followed up with a "Thank you," but rather a, "No, you may not have any of the girl scout cookies you just brought me, " or an, "I'm just going to stay here while you run out of the room screaming from the giant raccoon staring right in your face when you open the curtains. At eleven o'clock. And you're nine. And pretty sure that raccoon is looking for some dinner. And he just found it." Then I remember a distinct moment when I realized that he wasn't giving me a 401K and the only benefit I was getting from him was not being farted on.

After Sean learned how to pour his own glass of juice, the taunting still continued, and included but was not limited to tickling wars (Sean is not ticklish. I lost.), and him jumping out of my closet wearing a Bill Clinton mask right as I'm getting in bed. I wasn't always the victim, however. I still have a very incriminating tape of Sean singing "A Whole New World" in the shower, and I also mastered the art of nailing him from a tree with water balloons. It wasn't until Sean went off to college that we really stopped feuding, and it wasn't until I went to college that we started to really get along. And the fun memories we've made and the amount I've learned form him has made up for all of the brother "love" I endured growing up by tenfolds.

After Sean and Tina began dating, you all probably know how quickly their relationship escalated. They said "I love you," after 1 1/2 months, were living together after 2, had Nola, Rebel, Huckleberry, and Danny the frog by 8 months, and despite the fact that it took 2 years to get engaged, it was clear early on that they were a perfect match.

The first time I met Tina was in Arizona while visiting her family over the holidays in 2005. They picked me up from the airport, and the first thing I saw was the license plate on T's car, which read "LEPRDSS." I'll admit, I was a bit concerned. But Tina won me over with a day of the best shopping, bars, and attractions Scottsdale had to offer. And the chemistry between the two was unmistakable. I said to myself, "Finally! Someone else to take the brunt of the abuse from Sean!" (Don't worry, I gave her some pointers on the self defense I've picked up over the years).

The dynamic of their relationship is quite remarkable. Two of the most focused and driven people I know, it is fascinating to see them naturally go through this 'give and take' sort of process. Tina moved in with Sean after Hurricane Katrina, then he moved down to New Orleans with her when Tulane reopened. Both focused on their own directions in law, they took the Bar exams in cities on the opposite sides of the country. Sean lived in New York working as a temp for a year while Tina began her career as a patent lawyer. Now Tina is hoping to move out of the city and they will both commute to DC and Aberdeen for work while Sean begins his career as a JAG. The amount of 'give and take' and compromise their relationship has seems difficult and sometimes excessive, but it is a true testament to how much they love each other. I'm sure no one looks forward to the time when they can settle down and enjoy their life together more than they do. But until then, I have admired and learned a lot from their relationship together. And Tina? What's not to love? I told my mom when I was six that I wanted a baby sister. She thought it was pretty funny (even thought I wasn't joking). I know she's thrilled now, and I'm happy to have a big sister to bond with and stick up for me. And it's pretty fun to see Sean following the orders for a change. To Sean & Tina!