Lenten Reflections #33
The brightest eyes and 4-year-old spirit sprung out of her grandparent’s leather-seated Toyota this morning during carpool. “Today is the day! Today is the day!” She bellowed.
I reached in and pulled up the handles of her blue canvas tote bag, where a tiny umbrella, water bottle and a pet rock peaked out. Her sky blue eyes locked with mine and said it one more time, this time with a clear crescendo,
“Today is the day! I’m a big sister…I HAD A BABY!”
She wiggled and giggled happily as I strapped her bag over her shoulder, closed the car door and said goodbye. She yelled out, “!Adios, Señora!
I saw her curly ponytail bounce down the walkway grabbing the shirttail of every teacher to let them know that “Today was the day!”
I thought back to when our youngest was born. His brother (2) and sister (3) arrived at the hospital with my husband that afternoon, the greeting by our son seemed to give his baby brother a cool toddler “What’s up?” nod, then was off to see how many things he could wrap the hospital phone cord around. Big sister, on the other hand looked right at him then straight into my eyes and asked, “So when is my sister coming?”
Gee whiz. Hours of labor, and my three-year-old daughter is scouring the place for a receipt.
Over the years, the relationship between our kids has ebbed and flowed. Flowing when they were younger, building forts and playing matchbox cars/barbies; and ebbing lately as they attend virtual school together, make lunches on the same counter top and walk the dogs opposite directions because “he walks so slow!”
One of the most important requests I’ve had for my kids is “take care of each other”. That’s all I can hope for…and I pray they will.
As for the sweet little gal at carpool, there is absolutely no doubt in my mind she will take care of her sister. In fact, I think her older self would have finished her “Today is the day!” proclamation with “I will be the best big sister ever!”
On Faith and Fitness:
Take care of your siblings, cousins, and family. Best thing to do is go on a walk together, or better yet, go on a run like I do with my oldest sister!
runonmom.com 