Vacation

My family recently returned from a weeklong vacation on the beaches of New Jersey. It was a refreshing, invigorating week - and one filled with warm memories. It was the first vacation I can remember where everyone was relaxed - my dad has no more deadlines now that he is retired, and my sister and her boyfriend had the week off. My mom was in high spirits and all of this added up to what seemed to be the perfect week. But the week was not without family drama. On our third night in NJ, my mom, aunt, sister, her boyfriend and I went on a sunset cruise of Barnegat Bay. Unbeknownst to me(my mother apparently knew :) ) my sister's boyfriend had a little surprise planned. As the sun was setting over the bay - he and my sister went out to the bow of the boat. And I got to witness one of the more poignant moments in my sister's life - her engagement.
There have been few times in my life where I have been truly floored - but this was one of those moments. I don't know how many brothers get to see their sister's engagement - but I count myself lucky to be able to share in the moment with her and her fiancee. Its a memory I will take with me for the rest of my life.