This morning at breakfast my husband announced to the girls that he will be leaving for Denver later this morning and will be home in two days. Taking a break from munching on her toast, Ellie says, “You going to go get my little, baby brudder?”
I guess the worries that one has in displacing the baby of the family into a new big sister role is rapidly dissipating.
Today we took a favorite shortcut home through the beautiful Missouri countryside only to find a flooded road in not one but two spots. Even though, we are landlocked here in the midwest we did have fall-out due to Hurricane Ike late last week – rain, rain, and more rain.
After I turned around for the second time to head for higher ground, I stopped to check my directions with a nice couple chatting in their front yard. Even with their fear of rising river water approaching, they were friendly and sent me on my way. While my window was rolled down a pesky, thirsty mosquito stole away into my van and hitched a ride.
A few minutes later, Hannah was panicking that a mosquito had landed on her sleeping sisters little round cheek! She just didn’t know what to do! Knowing the irritation that comes from mosquito bites and wanting to steer clear of it herself, but also feeling fiercely protective towards her baby sister’s sweet cheek, she mustered up the courage to shoo that pesky bug away. In her haste, she fanned a little too hard and smacked the sleeping one awake. Bedlum ensued, it was madness….little one indignant that big one had hit her in slumber and big one sorry she was not being credited in her valor.
And they say driving while talking on one’s cell phone is dangerous – I say driving safely with children requires divine intervention on a daily basis.
We are talking about “our new baby” almost every day. Hannah is sure it will be a boy, as is my Dad. Ellie talks about her “baby brother or sister” and her eagerness to be the big sister. Grandma gave us a lovely list of boys names and decided to think of some girls names just to be prepared. For now she is sticking with “Scooter”. Hannah and Ellie both have Bible names and Hannah is certain we need to stay the course with that. Our discussions seem to gravitate towards boys names…Reuben, Judah, Joshua, James…What will his/her amharic name be…will that prompt us in one direction or another? We’ll know soon enough.
As for me, I feel peace. It is right for us to have another child. It is right for us to become a family of five. It is right for us to go down this less travelled path of raising three different children of three different races and heritages. It is right because there is a family who has a place and there is a child who has no place at all and the two are destined to meet.
Watch TV
Back-to-School Bash at church
Computer time
Went shopping and ate out
My favorite two year-old awake before dawn
Snuggling in bed together
Coffee
CBS News Sunday Morning
Holding sweet babies in church nursery
Chinese leftovers for lunch
My favorite 7 year old sitting beside me because she wants to be near me
Learning a new skill
Oatmeal Creme Pies
Peace in my house
