Day 3: Best

When my son, Jacob, was born, his older brother was only 16 months old.  I had often joked with my friends who were having their kids so close together that I "knew what was causing that" and could help them out if they wanted my wisdom.

So I think it was God's idea of humbling me a bit to let me get pregnant with my second child so soon after the birth of my first one.

From very early on Zack loved his brother, but I don't know that the feeling was totally mutual.  Jacob developed a cry as a tiny baby that was his, "Zack is about to hurt me, steal my toy, hit me" cry, which later became his "Zack is about to hurt me, steal my toy, hit me, leave me out, lock me out, punch me out" yell.  And the fact that Jacob needed to develop this cry/yell is also proof that Zack may or may not have always been loving toward his little brother.

So I prayed.  I prayed that they would love each other.  I prayed that they would be friends.  I prayed that they would be life-long friends.  Best friends.  I prayed that they would be there for each other, challenge each other, see the good in each other, stick up for each other.

And seeing Jacob perform his duties as Zack's best man helped me see the fruition of those prayers.  I would have to say that Jacob was the best Best Man I have ever known.  He performed his Best Man duties as though Zack's marriage depended upon it.  He went the extra mile. 

And don't think we weren't a little bit worried at times that Jacob would remember everything.  Because he can be, well, . . . er . . . shall we say, "forgetful" from time to time.  But not when it came to his Best Man duties.  He planned a Bachelor party.  Made sure people got their tuxes.  All the usual stuff.

But he also went above and beyond in some areas.

When it was time for Zack and Christina to see each other for the first time on their wedding day, (what they call the "First Glance" these days that actually happens before the ceremony) Jacob protected that moment, guarding the door where they could see each other without prying eyes.

After the wedding ceremony, he picked up their car from the hotel, cleaned it out, then returned early the next morning to take them to the airport.  He went to their apartment and helped clean it and put away some of their things so they wouldn't have to come home to a dirty apartment.

But the best thing of all was his best man toast.  I asked him if he would give it to me to print in its entirety, but he said I would just have to remember it from memory.  Alas, I cannot.  But what I recall is that it told of Jacob's love for his brother.  Of their friendship that had spanned a lifetime, their lifetime, to date.  And I knew that my prayers had been answered.

Jacob told me this the other day, he said, "I can't imagine what it would take that could make two brothers not be friends.  I can't picture Zack and I not being best friends for the rest of our lives."

All that to say, he's the best.