Her Love for Her Brother

Today's gift is her love for her brother.

My daughter loves her siblings.  She truly does.

She loves to be around them, play with them and annoy them....just like any sibling relationship.  My daughters have a closer relationship than my oldest daughter and son do; however, their love for each other is still very strong.

It is just shown differently.

I guess it goes with the ole' saying...girls mature faster than boys.  Or the fact there is a larger age difference between my oldest and my youngest.  Or maybe it is because my middle daughter is like a "little mother" to both her older sister and younger brother, the opportunities are not there all the time for my son to "shine" when interacting with his oldest sister.

Or maybe it is the fact his oldest sister does pick on him...often...because she enjoys the reaction she gets from him....and laughs!

I do not know what it is or why, all I know is tonight the two of them bonded like I have never seen yet!  And it truly melted my heart!

Tonight, it was just my daughter with Rett Syndrome, my son and me.  We were having a nice quiet dinner, when I asked my son if he would get some more dinner for his sister (he had to get it off the stove).  Not only did he GET it, but he asked if he could FEED her!?!?!  Of course.

He has fed her for me before, but literally I can count on one hand how many times that has happened...and usually I asked him to help me.  While he was feeding her, she had the biggest smile on her face.  She knew this was a huge step for him...for her...for their relationship.  And it didn't stop there.

As he was feeding her he was going on and on about how he really liked helping his sister and wanted to know if he could do it more often.

Yes...anytime you want to.

I immediately praised him and told him how happy I was with how he was interacting with his sister and did he notice the big smile on her face.  I told him, he brought that smile to her face!  He was very proud of himself.

Then he asked if he could sleep with her!  WOW!  I almost fell out of my chair!!!  Again never has he asked.  I said, let's plan on tomorrow night...if you still want to.

Before bed, he was sitting next to her on my bed while I was cleaning up their clothes.  He jumped off the bed and said he would be right back.  He ran to his room to get some books to read to her!!!!  OMG...I can't take it anymore!  WOW...huge steps!  He literally is reading now and is so proud of himself for this, that he wants to read all the time!

Seeing their relationship grow tonight, right before my eyes...was incredible to watch.  Seeing my daughter look at her brother with such love in her eyes made my tear up.  It was a look I haven't seen her give him in a long time.  Seeing them actually spend quality time with each other...with no fussing, no picking on each other was refreshing.

I know it will just take time and as time goes on their bond will strengthen.  I know in my heart this is how he always want to be towards her, but sometimes it is hard...especially when his ear is getting pulled.  I know she enjoyed this attention and love from him and she probably will think twice before she picks on him.  I know that tonight was special for me, but I also know they realize how special tonight was for them.

Here is a quote for tonight....

Sometimes being a brother is even better than being a superhero- Author Unknown



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365 Days Gift

A Betsie Sandwich

Today's gift is a Betsie Sandwich.

I was having a great day today up until about 1:00 when my mom called to tell me about the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Connecticut.  Ever since the phone call I have felt sick to my stomach.  There simply are no words.

I could not wait to go pick up my girls from school.  I just wanted to have all three of my children at home with me.  Safe.  My heart aches for all the parents who lost their child today.  My heart aches for all the families of the other victims at the school.  My heart aches for all the children who witnessed this tragedy today and are afraid.  My heart aches for the whole town of Newton.  My heart just aches.

My heart aches and my head is full of questions, with the biggest one being, why does things like this have to happen?

Do you ever realize when you are feeling down, there is often someone who notices who will do something, even the smallest thing to try and lift your spirits?

Tonight, my girls ended their bath/shower at the same time and when my oldest daughter and I walked out of her bathroom, my other daughter was walking out of hers and said "great timing."  We met in the hallway and I hugged them both very tightly (again...I think I hugged all my kids 100 times since they were home from school!) and told them how much I loved them.  We were positioned almost like in a triangle, where my middle child was in the middle.  Right when I was reaching down to kiss my middle daughter, my oldest daughter bent down to kiss her too.  Immediately, I said, "it's a Betsie sandwich!" and the girls giggled.  And then my oldest kissed her sister again.

I needed this gift tonight.   I needed to feel the love.  I needed to find the color.


Here is one quote for today....

Don't wait until it's too late to tell someone how much you love, how much you care- Author Unknown

Also for today I am attaching a pray from Nicole Unice, one of the Ministry Associates at our church...

God of all comfort, we come before you with humble, silent, hearts. You gave us tears so that we can mourn and we cry out for you to pour out your loving, warm light on the many so deeply affected today by the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings. For those who lost children today, would you gather them to you, for you promise that “those who mourn will be comforted.” For the children who have been traumatized by these experiences, would your healing light penetrate their souls and speak deeply into them, about the truth of the protection of their spirits and the reality of heaven. For the family of the shooter, we ask you to draw them close to you. And we thank you God that you are a God who remembers, you are a God of justice, and that evil will not have the final word in this earth, and that no matter what happens to us, our souls find rest in you, and they are secure in you. Help us to turn back to you as a nation, to take action to protect those who are suffering in their minds and souls, and that we would not “be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with love.” (Romans 12:21)