sisterhood

My consistent prayer for my two little girls has been that they will be great friends. One day when they are older there may be something Annike won't be able to tell me. My prayer is that she will always have her sister, and that the wisdom implanted in them during these young years will be accessible when they need it.

Having a sibling is a great way to practice doing life with other people. I will even dare to say that it is one of the most character shaping tools in a young person's formative years.

Together, my girls get to practice what it is like to be someone's friend. We all need practice with friendship. Right now, they get to do it in a safe setting like our home where Momma is usually around to intercede when boundaries are crossed.

First Tea Party

Interactions with each other help my girls to understand themselves better. So far we are dealing with one introvert and one extrovert. Even small children need alone time and self-discerning these needs for down time is a valuable life skill.

Daily they practice sharing. And not sharing. And then being forced to share when they don't want to. This is the real world on a small, slightly safer scale.

They practice understanding someone who has different likes and dislikes, playing with someone who is a different age, and trying to compromise with someone who wants to play differently. They practice arguing and defending themselves, and hopefully will come out of it all learning to fight fair. 

All of the time they are learning about forgiveness. Feelings are hurt, rules are broken, but with sisters there is always forgiveness. Sometimes miraculously, life moves on without grudge-holding. Sisterhood is a beautiful picture of unconditional love.

Almost nothing warms my heart more than seeing these girls enjoy each others company. In the last few months there has been noticeable growth in how they interact. Annike has even started to miss Sommer's company. Nothing shocks and pleases me more than hearing things like:

"I don't like it when Sommer sleeps because I miss her!" and

"Sommy is missing all of the fun! Maybe we should wake her up?"

No way. That girl needs to stay asleep as long as possible, but still, my heart is warm to think that one of my daily prayers for these two is already being answered... that they would be great friends.

joy

Almost nothing brings me more joy than seeing these two little munchkins play together.

It is happening more and more.  I hear giggling in the living room, and stop to spy on them. Or wonder of wonders, an entire half hour goes by while both girls have been playing in the bedroom with only each other for company.

And of course, they cause mischief together (like getting soaked in the leftover shower water. For once it was convenient that Annike had her clothes off.)

When Sommer was only 6 weeks old, crying a lot, stealing my attention and definitely not a lot of fun for her older sister, the subject of best friends came up. I asked Annike who her best friend was, fully expecting her to mention the name of one of her special little girlfriends. She grinned and answered without hesitation, "Baby Sommer!"
That has been my prayer ever since. Lord, may they be best friends!

You have a long road ahead of you, girls. Better stick together.

rainbows

"We may run, walk, stumble, drive, or fly, 

but let us never lose sight of the reason for the journey, 

or miss a chance to see a rainbow on the way."

- Gloria Gaither

I personally believe that children were designed by God to help adults do this. Whether we run, walk, trip, stagger, step backwards, crawl or fly, our children remind us to stand in awe of the rainbows. And they are constant reminders that life is a journey, not a destination.

Some pics of my children enjoying the "rainbows" in our week.

 And then the occasional moment when the world seems without rainbows, without reason to celebrate, without hope.

The tragedy was short-lived. Nothing like a banana, and a sister, to help find a smile.