My prayers were finally answered! I had been praying for practically the entire 10 years of my earthly existence for a sister, and after two painful miscarriages (where I might have cried more initially than my poor mother), my prayers were finally answered.
My baby sister was perfect. I was the only one allowed to hold her standing up. I learned to feed her and change her diapers. We snuggled together on the couch. She was everything I had hoped for.
We transferred to a new elementary school that year so my brother could be in their special ed program. Because my parents felt he wasn’t ready for middle school, they asked me if I would mind if they held him back. This would mean we would be in the same grade throughout the rest of our schooling years.
I don’t think I even hesitated when I told them it would be fine. I had no idea the struggles that could come from being in the same age as my brother, but I knew it was what he needed. We spent many recesses together as his aid tried her best to involve him with normal children.
My three brothers and I would walk to and from the bus stop together each day, and probably bonded more during those regular 15 minutes than at any other time that year. We talked, we fought, we laughed, we schemed.
One of the houses en route to our bus stop had two ginormous black dogs. Some days their electric fence didn’t work and we would race past that house in terror hoping those dogs wouldn’t get us. Thankfully, they never did, but I still have a mental image of that house etched in my mind to this day.
The scary dog made me giggle. I can see a pack of children racing past the fence. Thankfully you all made it okay! My sister is 10 years older than me. She says the same exact thing - that she prayed to have a sister someday. She is a sister like no other. A wonderful blessing to me, as you are to your sister I bet!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a blessing to have a new little sister! I think there is something to be said for having a baby and having older kids. It was sure MUCH easier when we had our third child.
ReplyDeleteI certainly understand about the scary dog. I became afraid of wiener dogs (of all things) when we lived in FL because one chased me on my bike and bit me. I've hated them ever since!
Looking forward to reading more of your school experience even more now that there are some major changes.
That's awesome you finally got a sister! I have a sister and there is nothing else like one. Oh, and the scary dog thing...I remember scray dogs in my neighborhood too. We all knew to stay clear of those houses!
ReplyDeleteWell you were a better sister then I could've been! My sister was a year below me in everything, but that often meant she got to do things the same time as me, which I never thought was fair! I was so happy my first year of jr & sr high, those 2 years were the only times we didn't go to the same school, and I liked it that way!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing!!
www.crystalizedreflections.blogspot.com
Aw, I'm happy that you got a sister, too!
ReplyDelete(Sorry - I'm behind on my reading because we went out of town last week!)