Friday, March 20, 2009

swollen

Today could be described as a very bad day. I won't go into the details, but let's just say that by the time I drove home today I was in tears. I was very, very down in the dumps after a frustrating and challenging long day.

But now I am at home. My sanctuary because my family is here. I am sitting on the couch typing during "Family Friday Movie Night." A scheduled event for each week that Emily looks forward to. Nothing fancy, but we eat our dinner in front of the movie of her choice. Tonight its Peter Pan. Again. And it is fine with us. She is sitting right beside me, cuddled under the blanket, head on my shoulder. Scott is on the other couch snoring softly. Seriously a wind-down time that is so needed at this time of the week.

I am so grateful for Emily. She amazes me with everything she does and says. This week she told me she didn't want to go to dance class any more. She said it would only be fun if there was a ball. I smiled. She plays in the backyard, and can name five or six different birds that fly in our yard. Her favorite is the "Carolina Bird." (or Carolina Wren.) She can't wait for her "babies" to get here. She doesn't call them "brother and sister" but rather calls them, "My baby boy" or "My baby girl." She helps Scott and me pick out things for them, and tells us about what she will do with them. And daily she asks me when will they be ready to come out. I can't wait to go on the tour of the maternity ward with Scott and Em this Tuesday.

For four years Emily has been the only child. She has not had to share Scott and me with anybody else. In less than eight weeks she will be the big sister to two new babies. I worry about how she will take this adjustment. One baby is enough for any child to need adjusting to, but two new babies at once has got to be more challenging. I'm sure Emily will do just fine, eventually. I just pray that she always knows how much Scott and I love her, and that it will never lessen no matter how many babies enter our family.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

If Hanna - who threatened my entire pregnancy to sell Caleb to Grandma for "two bucks" - adjusted quickly, I'm sure Emily won't have too many problems. Once he was born, she became so protective and so loving towards him. He quickly became her baby too.
Our two are a little over 4 years apart as well and I really cherished that age difference. They both got so much one on one time with us, but have also learned how to get along and enjoy each other.
It will be different with two new babies, I'm sure...but I have no doubts that you and Scott will find the best way for your family.

Scott and Malisa Johnson said...

Oh Sam, I'm so glad to know there is four years between your two. There are also four (school years) between my sister and me, and Scott and David. I always wanted Emily's siblings to have been a little closer in age, but that is just not what God had planned.

Anonymous said...

When we were in Fresno, there was a couple at our church who didn't want their kids any further than 18 months apart so they'd "always be good friends"...and I've never seen kids fight as much as those three!

Just wait until you see Emily read books to "her babies"...or teach them how to play games...or all of the different ways she will take them under her wing. We hadn't necessarily planned such a large gap either, but now I wouldn't have wanted it any other way!