Andrew

When I grow up and someday have kids, I hope I have a boy first because I want the rest of my children to have a big brother. That says something about my big brother, and I hope it says a lot.

Andrew has been one of my best friends for years. Since we were very young, he and I loved spending time together. I can remember countless soccer games in the front yard, games of Backgammon and Chess, hours roaming the woods, and summers building dams in the creek behind our house. When I was young, I wished I was a boy so that Andrew could have a brother. (Now I'm certain Cameron is the better option.)

In highschool, Andrew was a constant friend and encouragement. We spent countless summer nights in front of the radio, listening to the Orioles game long past our bed time, and always enjoyed sharing music with one another.

More than those little memories, there is one thing that is significant in my mind: Andrew was always there. He is steadfast and faithful, qualities I admire about him. Even when he left for Hillsdale, there were text messages and emails and Facebook posts. When EA and I came to Hillsdale, he was always available for a meal, as a listening ear, or even just a quick hug between classes.

Not only is Andrew faithful in his relationships with his siblings and friends, He is faithful in His pursuit of a relationship with his Savior. He is relentless in his desire to grow, even when he feels like he is failing. I know this dedication will serve him well as he goes into the Navy.

It will be a sacrifice for my family to let him go off to Rhode Island in just a few short days. I'm learning what a sacrifice it is to send a loved one off to the military. It's not that he's disappearing forever, but we are sending him off with the realization that he can't come home whenever he wants. He belongs to someone else, and to an organization greater than any of us. The Navy calls the shots now. 

But that's what I love most. It's a good thing to give oneself to something greater, and I am confident that Andrew will thrive, even as he belongs to something he can't change or control. I am confident because the Odell family is also a strong organization. It is a foundational organization. We get older, and learn that we can't belong only to the Odell family. There are other places where we need to learn and grow. But always at the foundation will be the strongest of all earthly ties - a family that will love and pray for and support and cheer him on, wherever the sky and sea take him. 

Anchors aweigh, Andrew. I love you.