happy birthday little brother!

meet derek. derek porter. born in 1982, making him 29 today. yep, it's derek's birthday and i'm here to talk all about him! (insert very evil laugh) since derek and i were only two years apart growing up we both loved and despised each other, depending on our stage in life.

derek was always really into sharks. actually that's an understatement. he was completely infatuated with them. from the age of three up all he drew were sharks and things to do with sharks. i remember every year when shark week came on whatever channel that was, cause the tv then belonged to him. nothing else was allowed to be watched. he knew all the facts about the fish and was sure to also make sure we watched jaws more than a few times.

derek has also been an artist from the beginning. as far as i can remember he was always drawing. during church on sundays he would draw the most awesome caricatures of the bishopric or of the speakers. he and i also loved playing the "dot game" aside from drawing. anyway, his drawing obviously served him well as he is now a very talented graphic designer. he's got skills.

did you know that derek was born with six fingers on one hand? yes, very princess bride-ish of him, wasn't it? he actually had two thumbs where any other person had one. when he was one it was removed surgically. this was on his right hand, the very same hand his artistry came from. awesome, huh?

story
derek is the reason i ever started cussing. not that i still cuss, cause i don't. but yes, it's true...my first cuss word was "b*t*h". yes, i called my brother that. but hey...hold on there. let me explain. we were in elementary school and were both very into legos. almost every day we would turn on our beach boys record (record machines rock) and bust out the legos and create away. one day, derek wanted a piece that i happened to be using. this was unacceptable to him, so he took it...completely destroying my lego house. it ticked me off so bad, that i screamed from the very top of my lungs (our parents weren't home at the moment or i probably wouldn't have said it at all from fear of my father's swift hand) the infamous word. i distinctly remember derek's eyes getting very big and staring at me. i then remember what followed. months of blackmail (yes, he's always been devious and smart). i was his faithful servant. if not, dad found out what i said and i'd be in for it. it was truly pitiful folks. i did everything he wanted. i got him a drink, i moved off the couch if he wanted to sit there. this went on for quite some time. one day i'd had it. i was playing with a friend and derek wanted me to do something or go somewhere and i said "forget it". he threatened. i said "go ahead". and he did. and you know what my dad said? "she's an idiot to call you that, only girls can be that." hahahahaha....my dad never said a word to me. that was the extent of my punshiment. boy, did i get lucky! (and for the record dad, you're wrong...men can very much be that word)

derek and i served missions for our church at the same time as well. it was a wonderful time. we weren't fabulous about writing back and forth, but we did do it. it was fun hearing about his journey in guatemala and i hope he liked hearing about my experiences in uruguay.