There’s an eight year difference between myself and Andrea. Sometimes I don’t realize how big of a difference that really is. For example, I make reference to an 80’s song or movie and Andrea looks at me with a blank stare. Although, she is getting better because I am a good influence.

But it always amazes me how fast my sisters seem to grow up. I leave for a year and I know longer know who they are. Getting to know them again is weird but it’s also a fun filled adventure. For the longest time I always had the notion that I would be the brother who would demand that my younger sisters couldn’t date until they were 30. I was also the brother who decided that whenever one of my sisters would bring one of their boyfriends around, I’d be sure to show him the shotgun, the shovel, a very sharp knife, and the woods in my back yard.

I’ve always tried to be protective of the people that I care about. Sometimes that doesn’t always work out, because well, my idea of protection is them not getting hurt, or not worrying them, or not freaking them out. And there are times that that is going to have to happen, like with my recent situation. That’s what I wanted to achieve by giving their boyfriends “the talk.”

However, I recently met Nicole’s new boyfriend (she’s had at least five boyfriends since the beginning of this year) and I realized that while she may be young, she’s not an idiot. She can protect herself, within limits of course. She’s only 13 and ready for only so much responsibility. I’d hate to see how she would act if she had been in my shoes at that age, or even my other sister Stephanie. We didn’t do so hot. But it’s clear that Nicole has a good head on her shoulders and knows what she wants, and what she doesn’t.

I don’t think Andrea has ever had a boyfriend. She seems to fall in like with guys that aren’t available. Plus the fact that they are usually older, so that makes me a bit wary about them. But again, she’s got a good head on her shoulders.

Now, I’m a pervert. My mom is a pervert. I swear I inherited my pervertedness from my mom. But my pervertedness is absolutely nothing compared to Nicole’s and Andrea’s. Sometimes it’s frightening how perverted they are.

Today, Andrea went to church. One of the readings said something along the lines of “when the cock crows three times…” and she had no idea what that meant. Well, to be honest, she just thought of something other than what it really was. Obviously, “cock” here means rooster, but Andrea almost busted out laughing in the middle of mass because she thought that “cock” meant penis. Speaking of penis, she can’t say vagina or penis without laughing hysterically. I was so over that whole phase by the time I was 16.

My sisters can literally turn anything anyone says into something perverted. That’s all they seem to talk about. That, and the fact that I taught them a new Spanish swear word thanks to Ness.

I accidentally let it slip when Nicole’s boyfriend was here and he thought it would be funny to say it to his Spanish teacher. Not such a good idea…

Andrea’s on the verge of being 16. Her birthday is two weeks away. She’s studying for her learner’s permit as I type. I let her steer the car when I went to pick her up from Confirmation class today. She’s a lot better of a driver (so far) than Stephanie.

She asked me the other day if Ness was going to come down for her birthday still. Apparently she likes Ness more than she likes me. Go figure. But I told her that she probably wouldn’t. Ness and I aren’t together anymore and that it’s not a good idea if we see each other right now. But she considers Ness a friend. I didn’t even know that. But then again, she can talk to Ness about stuff that she can’t talk to me about, or my parents. Ness is like the coolest older sister ever, and I’m the brother trapped in a sister’s body and that’s kind of awkward. She just wanted Ness to take her out for a drive when she got her permit. And I’m chopped liver.