Sibling Love

My Mom and I were talking today about the bond shared by siblings. As many of you know, I did not grow up with any brothers or sisters (until Wendy and Isaac became part of the family) so I didn't really understand the special love between siblings. As a mother of four, I am quickly being educated in what that love looks like. Before I became a parent I was floored by how rude, sneaky and downright mean siblings could be toward each other. I vowed that no matter how many children we had, ours would not be like that to one another. Obviously, these parents did not take the time to foster a loving and respectful relationship between their children and the children were forced to act out against each other. Then God blessed us with our brood and boy did my bubble burst!!! Children come out of the womb fighting with each other. They bicker about the sound of each others voice and who got more M&M's and where to sit in the car and how long Grandma talked on the phone to each one and what size drink they got at dinner and the list goes on and on. Sometimes I think they make stuff up just to be difficult to one another. How many times in our household do we go over the Golden Rule (it is Jeff's favorite so I think each child knows it by heart, even Micah). But it rarely seems to sink in. One of my great fears for our family is that our children will grow up bickering and fighting and eventually despise one another. Many friends from large families assure me that once you don't live in the same house and share the same closet, your sister or brother becomes your best friend. I pray that our children feel that loving bond toward one another and that they grow to cherish the time they get to spend together as well as the memories they make. I pray they stick up for each other when one is threatened and make each other laugh when one is sad. I pray they enjoy each others thoughts, each others company and each one's individuality. What an amazing gift a brother or sister is, a person who grew up in the same house as you and went on the same vacations and shares a lot of the same memories as you. So while you may have fought and argued and trust me, driven your parents nuts, I know that this love is one that is unbreakable.