On THIS day, 21 years ago. My youngest brother was born. Shortly later, my parents received a phone call from the same agency they'd adopted myself and my OTHER baby brother from, alerting them that Christopher, my present baby brother at the time, had a brother, who'd just been put up for adoption.
I honestly don't think I will EVER forget the day that my parents called Christ and I into their bedroom and asked us to take a seat. I think we feared that we were in trouble, from what I can recall. We could tell that whatever we'd been called to their room for was SERIOUS...which MOST likely meant one of our childish pranks, or something had been found out, and we were gunna GET IT! Instead, I believe it was my father who started talking first. It's all a blur now, 21 years later, but I DO remember that it was my mother who told us the big news.... Chris had a brother, and our family had been contacted before any other, to see if we wanted to adopt him as well.
Well..... being the EXCELLENT, DUTIFUL, big sister, and eldest sibling that I was (cue my other siblings gag reflexes..) I was SO excited to hear the news. So, when my parents asked if Chris and I wanted another sibling, "YES" burst forth from my lips at the same time that Chris said "no"... I'm pretty sure "no" was his favorite word at the time... MUCH like it is mine now (though I rarely say it and mean it). But pretty sure our lives changed...for the better, FOREVER.
I remember the very first time we went to Andy's foster parent's house, to meet and see him for the first time. We'd been warned that he had some serious health issues, and eventually they told us that he had Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. Which just a few years ago we found out was completely inaccurate. Andy has a genetic disorder called Williams Syndrome. It effects VERY few. Very little is known about it. But once you've discovered what a "typical" Williams kid looks like... you'll be able to spot one out.. for the rest of your life. It STILL amazes me in the time since we found out what Andy has, that while singing at Disney, I spotted, conversed with, was hugged and complimented by 2 kids with Williams Syndrome. I also got to speak to families who've felt all alone in dealing with the syndrome of their child...
AS USUAL I DIGRESS...
My baby brother Andy.. Andrew Geoffrey Brown is PURE JOY to all who have ever met him. There's not a room he can enter and not light up. There's not a soul who can meet him, and not be in some way, changed for the better.
Growing up, both of my parents worked extremely hard to provide for our family. Not TOO long after the arrival of my baby brother, came the arrival of my sister. (SHE'D say my OLDER sister, we're like 9mos apart, so I say that doesn't count) Because of the grueling schedule my parents had for a while, and because I was the eldest sibling, and as such, I ran the roost when my parents were away. (which I got NOTHING but sheer pleasure from.) So, in many ways, that, matched with the significant age gap between Andy and myself, he felt more like my child than my brother. But honestly, Christopher, who is only near 4yrs younger than me, felt like my kid... I was just very protective. Andy being a baby had no choice but to let me "mommy" him when my mother was away. I say all this to say that him being 21 makes me feel REAAALLLY old... It also makes my heart swell so big, words (NEARLY) fail me.
Many kids who have Williams Syndrome are gifted musically.. in ways that defy what their supposed mental capacity is. Andy is no exception. The boy is a genius musician. His instruments of choice are the piano and taking after his big brother, the drums. It's literally ALIEN like, the way that he plays, whatever instrument he's playing.
Awhile ago, on a trip to Orlando with my parents, I brought him into the Voices of Liberty break room. I gave him STRICT instructions not to be a bother to anyone in there, not to get on the keyboard, not to talk anyone's ear off... Well... Before 2 minutes had gone by, he had the attention of nearly everyone in that room. THEN before I knew it, he'd somehow jumped on a keyboard he'd never seen before in his life, set it to an "organ" type setting, and then nearly flawlessly played Bach's Toccata Fugue in Dminor.
Everyone cheered and clapped for him, which made his lil' soul SO happy... He really is SUCH a showman. Afterwards while I walked him back to where my parents were, I asked him how he'd learned that song. His answer was "I've watched it on Youtube like 3xs...sooooo...)
OF COURSE he had. That's my Andy. That's my baby brother.
I just got off of the phone with him. I asked if he'd had a great time celebrating, and asked what he did. He informed me that he had dinner with my family and his "girlfriend" at Fuddrucker's, had gone to Chuck E. Cheese's and had also gone to a mall near my parents and played music there...
After we talked about his day, HE took over with the questions. He asked WHEN (with great emphaticism on the word "WHEN") was I going to be back with his friends Beth Moore and her band. He asked how his friends at Voices of Liberty were doing. He asked if I'd talked to Danny, and the Voices of Lee, AND he asked about some of my friends from nasvhille, and even Cincinnati.. My parents left Cincy for Houston when I was nearly a Senior in college, Andy was probably 5 or so, but he remembers STILL my friends from when I was in high school. I filled him in on EVERYTHING. Told him who was having or had recently had babies.. who was married, when I'd see Miss Beth.... and he genuinely listened and responded with joy at the lives of my friends.
As I write, I'm literally doing everything that I can NOT to burst into tears. I don't think I'll ever know a sweeter soul than my baby brother.. and though he's gotten into his share of mischeif I've oftern wondered if this whole while, my family's been "entertaining an angel, unaware".
I remember life before Andy, and I actually remember a bit of life before my other brother.. The life of the Brown family became sweeter when Andy came into it, and complete when my sister joined our ranks.
I bless God today for my babyest-baby brother! I told him tonite that he was my favorite babyest-baby brother, and that Chris was my favorite baby brother. Andy's response?? "Aww, thanks Lici. You're too kind!"
I love that kid so much it hurts my heart sometimes.. I'm so proud of the lil' man he's become... He may be 21, and a grown man, but I told him tonite that he was ALWAYS gunna be MY Andyman, a nickname we gave him shortly after he became ours. I asked if that was Ok with him, or if he wanted me to start calling him Andrew... He answered as only HE could, "OF COURSE it's ok to call me that. I've got NO problem with that at ALL!!"
Happy Birthday Andyman- and THANK YOU SO MUCH for the light you brought into my world, the day you became my babyest-baby brother!! I love you so much! God knew this world needed a spirit like you in it... and so 21 years ago today, he blessed us. He blessed us ALL.
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