I’m the baby of three. Liz is the first child. Scott is middle. Sometimes they call me the baby princess. That title was in a birth-order book my sister once read, and it stuck.
Liz left home for college after my fifth grade year, but she always made me feel missed and special with little gifts. She had a gift for making beaded necklaces and monogramming things, like acrylic storage containers and plastic cups. She would say, “It’s just a little sussy.” Like, it’s just a little something. Not much. When I married Kody, Liz cross-stitched 2 Corinthians 5:7 for me and framed it, “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” How many times have I walked by faith?
Scott and I used to fight, and I fought dirty. Scott, I was defending myself, and I’m sorry. He left home for college after my seventh grade year. But I remember him being home one weekend and pulling me out of a boy’s car on Main Street. I was fourteen. The boy was sixteen. My big brother kept my secret, and I straightened up some. Scott, you defended my honor, and thank you! Did you know the middle child tends to be the loyal, family-peace keeper and that the baby tends to be more creative, rebellious, and attention-seeking?These days my brother is self-less. In 2015, his community faced tragedy. Scott raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for victims and wrote an inspirational book to tell their stories. He donated all of the proceeds to a memorial built for those who lost their lives. For more information about Scott’s book Stillwater Strong and purchasing options, click here.
5 Things I Know:
- I was a spoiled hot mess.
- There is truth in birth order.
- My siblings set the bar.
- They inspire me to be a better person.
- We all turned out okay after all.
Splendid of you to stop by during my A-Z blogging challenge! I have seven more upcoming posts, and then I plan to re-focus on school. If you liked Liz and Scott, perhaps you would enjoy my other posts. It’s all about gratitude this April, and I’m thankful for much: A is for Apple and B is for Boozer and C is for Champagne and Chanel No. 5 and D is for Dad and E is for Epiphany and F is for Faith + Gratitude = Peace + Hope and G is for Great _______ and H is for Hatbox and Honeysuckle and I for an I and J is for Jesus and K is for Kody and L is for the Lovely Lauren and M is for the Marvelous Misti and a Dirty Martini and N is for the Numbers and O is for the Oversized Owl and P—Prayer and My Grandmother’s Pearls and R is for Ripples Colliding
Faith + Gratitude = Peace + Hope 
So interesting, and I agree, there is truth in birth order, for sure. I am a middle child.
🤗
LikeLiked by 1 person
As the baby, I continue to let people take care of me. Otherwise, I’m good at entertaining myself.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great story and tribute to your siblings Crystal. Both my wife and I are middle children and we are always trying to keep the peace. Not sure why, it seems futile some days. Stay well and thanks for sharing. Allan
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love this! I, too, am the baby of the family. An older brother and an older sister. I was the one left at home with our parents in middle school when they flew the coop, one by one. My sister always sent me care packages when I was in college, filled with snacks and goofy stickers for my windows and such. And there is much truth to that birth order stuff, in my opinion. Sounds like all three of you are pretty darn creative-very cool! Great post, Crystal 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Loved it, definite truth about birth order and we babies in our families, definitely an attention seeker myself and fellow spoiled hot mess.😆
On Wed, Apr 22, 2020, 6:31 AM Faith + Gratitude = Peace + Hope wrote:
> Crystal Byers posted: “I’m the baby of three. Liz is the first child. > Scott is middle. Sometimes they call me the baby princess. That title was > in a birth-order book my sister once read, and it stuck. Liz left home for > college after my fifth grade year, but she always made m” >
LikeLiked by 1 person
I guess I never thought of you as the baby or attention seeking or as a spoiled hot mess! 😂 So much for secrets. You turned out just fine, Andi! ❤️
LikeLiked by 1 person
What I liked is that your older siblings are both part of your life. Parents pray that their children will be close and caring. When the parents are gone, you three carry the stories that live on. May you always be close. – David
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, David! I wish we were closer in proximity, but we definitely stay in touch.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for this! It tells stories. OK is good!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
These posts get better every day. How blessed you are to have your siblings as role models. ❤️
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love my siblings. I have two older sisters. One is 12 years older and the other is 17 years older. I was a surprise baby. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow! That’s amazing! So happy you’re close!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Your siblings sound awesome!
We treat my baby sister like that 🙂 just that she’s a lot more people to spoil her. Siblings is a really great S! 💕💕💕
Love, light, and glitter
LikeLike
I come from a family of nine – yes, that’s right, nine. Mom always felt she had three separate little families. I was number seven and my younger sister, brother and I were nicknamed the “three little ones”. I think there is a lot of truth to birth order – I was expected to look after my younger brother and sister. It built leadership skills, responsibility, and self-reliance.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hey you’re almost the same as me! 💕
LikeLike
Wow! So you’re sort of a first born and a middle even though you’re one of the babies.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Looking at the first picture, I can see that little girl in your smile still 🙂 You mom looks so chic and her outfit reminds me of my mom’s n the 70s 🙂
Lovely memories.
Thank you for sharing.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I still feel like that little girl, and we were all sort of styling. But, yes, Mom looks chic. I love the guy with the big mustache on my shirt, and my brother with his 70s afro and shades is just classic. Thanks for participating in my memory!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Amazing the details that we still remember. I can look at photos of my children when they were tiny and remember an outfit or another (not all of them) and how it felt on their little bodies or how they looked when they moved around or how their wrists stuck out when they outgrew it.
Siblings or childhood friends, besides our parents of course, are those who keep our memories alive – the ones we don’t remember about ourselves.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s beautiful! I find myself digging for memories these days, and I love it when someone fills in the gaps for me and keeps my memory alive.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Your brother sounds like an angel. You’re clearly very proud.
I’m the eldest in my family, and probably fit the mould.
Best wishes,
Rowena
LikeLiked by 1 person