siblings
When we got home, Jed and I came into the house sort of quietly, knowing Hannah wasn't here anymore. When we got in the house, the first thing we saw was chewed up cotton make up swabs all over, and I do mean all over, the kitchen. I moaned & kicked Della the devil dog outside so I could clean up the mess. Jed burst into tears.
"Oh my gosh, Jeddar, what's wrong?"
"I hate it when Della is a bad dog. What if we have to get rid of her? What if she has to go away? Why did Hannah have to move?"
The sobs shook his little skinny body, and I sat down on the floor of the kitchen and held him. He is so sad about his sister moving, and ran through all of his thoughts, from her missing Christmas and his birthday to who will help him with video games, to who will pick him up from school if I'm running late. All I could do was hold him and tell him it was going to be okay, and that we'd call Hannah and skype Hannah and that we would see her next summer.
He stopped crying and we got up and blew his nose, and then we moved to snuggle on the couch. He seemed to be under control, but mentioned a couple of times that he wished Hannah would call him. So I sent her a text, bless her little red head, and she called him. He was so brave talking to her, and she reassured him that it would be okay, but when she told him she left her green blanket in Ali's room and he could snuggle it and think of her, he lost it again. He was trying so hard to sound grown up and under control, but the tears were dripping off his chin and his face was all red and splotchy.
When I was pregnant with Jed, Hannah came to Bob and me with a worried countenance. Bob asked her what was troubling her and she responded, "What if I don't like the baby when he's born? I mean, I HAVE to like Ali cuz she's my real sister, but this baby will only be my half brother. What if I don't like him or love him?"Bob hugged her and said, "You know what Hannah, let's cross that bridge if we come to it. You don't have to like the baby, but let's just see how it goes after he's born."
After Jedidiah was born, Hannah was the ultimate big sister. I remember one time when she reprimanded me, "Mel, he's been crying for like, 10 seconds. You need to pick him up or I'm going to get him."
I'm happy for Hannah to be starting a new adventure, and moving forward on her own. I'll miss her, but I remember when I was young. I think it's important for young adults to make a break and try to figure some things out on her own. And I'm grateful that my kids all like each other, even though they bug the heck out of one another most days and engage in the universal sibling tortures that are an archetype of family life. But I feel sad for my 7 year old, who feels like he's losing his big sister for ever. I know it will get better, but his red eyes and downturned mouth are breaking my heart."I have no greater joy than this, to hear that my children are living their lives
in the truth" 3 John 1:4
Comments