Our toast to Ryan

I wrote this poem to toast my brother, Ryan ,at his Rehearsal Dinner. Shannon and I delivered it together.


It was the summer of 84 and I was busy watching my first video on MTV- Uptown Girl
When Mom and Dad delivered the news that would change our world
A baby was coming! We were so surprised!
Of course it would be a girl- the only option in our eyes!

We would dress her up in our doll clothes
And paint her fingernails and toes
We ran to the pool to tell all of our friends
And that is where that dream ends

On a cold snowy day in January of 85
Ryan Mark Connor entered our lives
A boy?? What would we do with a boy?
Never fear! We still pretended he was one of our toys

But then he started to grow and was interested in dirt, soldiers and balls
The time had passed quickly he was no longer our doll.
As a child Ryan had a slight speech impediment
And as his older sisters, we don’t ever let him forget it.

Many Christmases revolved around GI Joes
Ryan had all of them and off to battle they would go
The GI Joe General was the “It” toy for play
Mom searched high and low, but Mr Gonzales in Miami saved the day!

Many years later in 2009 Ryan discovered Mom had given it away
Apparently he wanted it for posterity so Mom found another on Ebay.
And then there is the traditional nerf gun
For the last 15 Christmases, Santa hasn’t missed one!

We heard a lot of “Yessir Mr Rich” during his karate days
Did you know Ryan has a black belt? Don’t get in his way!
Left blinker, right blinker was one of his moves
Except when he fractured Mom’s eye but that was a goof

He moved on from Karate and GI Joe to baseball and basketball
Our little Ryan was a superstar on the court each Fall
Ryan, Ergen, Shannon and Allen at Deane Hill would shoot to fame
I think the team averaged 10 points per game

But baseball was the game he was destined to play
Practices, travel teams, tournaments filled his days
But then he realized the sport would only take him so far
And he choose the academic path bringing him back to UT and his future sweetheart

We always have fun with our little brother
The youngest, least expensive and favorite amongst our Dad and mother
Unlike LeBron he was not the self-proclaimed King
No, he came by that name honestly
Cook? Clean? Do his laundry?
Nope not Ryan! He left that to his Mommy

In Spring of 05, a cute blonde caught his eye
Her intelligence, beauty and charm he couldn’t deny
We like to think Julia reminded him of his sisters
We are thankful he realized a good thing and didn’t diss her.

Over time, LOTS of time, their relationship progressed
And we are glad that tomorrow she will finally get to wear that white dress.
You both come from great examples of what a marriage should be
And we know for many years you will live happily

Ryan is the best brother and uncle you could ask for
And Julia, in a husband you could want for nothing more.
He is loyal and smart, funny and true
He will be all of these things and so much more to you.

Ryan, we toast you tonight as your sisters and friends
We are honored to stand by your side and attend
So tomorrow when the big day is here
Look to your right and know we will always be near.