What I’m Hoping For
This year’s summer staff includes a set of siblings. And I was watching the brother and sister pair recently.
They were chatting. Laughing. And before they parted, the brother gave his sister a hug and a hair tousle.
Something motherly (or whatever) went off inside of my heart.
Watching Andrew and Erin made me think of Berg and Piper.
Or any other combination of siblings at our house that you want to toss about there.
I just want them to like one another.
To know one another.
To be involved in the lives of each other.
So I love it when I see Bergen and London cuddling on the sofa together. London reading a book to her little brother and Hawkeye scratching her back as she reads.
And it makes my heart happy when we are sitting at the tables at the lodge for lunch and Piper drops her fork and before she can ask for a new one Bergen has already hopped out of his chair and retrieved a new fork from the counter for her.
It’s so sweet to witness an experience like Mosely losing her balloon and London graciously and without hesitation offering her younger sister her own balloon.
This hope for their future friendship, this goal of encouraging a lifetime bond, is why I encourage all sorts of group play time.
It’s why I really don’t get angry when the giggles are a little too loud at bedtime because they are playing a game together.
It’s why I am not all that concerned when I discover a stash of saltine cracker crumbs under Bergen’s blanket because the kids were having a secret picnic on their recent “adventure”.
It’s even why finding out that the three amigos allowed all eleven fireflies to escape from their mason jar into Bergen’s bedroom was really no big deal.
And so far – they all do like one another.
They’re like a little tribe.
They defend one another. Support one another. Hit one another. Tattle on one another. Hug one another. Share their candy. Barter for each other’s toys. Cuddle together. Mosely volunteers to dress Piper. Bergen always notices when the girls get new dresses or I fix their hair in a different way and he is quick to tell them, “You look beautiful today.” Piper holds hands in the backseat with Otto and is always commenting about how he is the cutest baby brother ever. London says she just cannot kiss Otto enough and she takes great pride in being allowed to occasionally lift him now and guard over him while he plays.
And I will keep encouraging them to play together.
To hug one another.
To laugh and share jokes and scratch backs.
Because I hope they can be friends then like they are now.
9 Comments
Gretchen
Oh, I know that longing too. I witnessed kids that I taught have those sweet brotherly sister, family relationships…….I long for that too for my kids. And pray that they have that love. Those are sweet and precious times. I see my kids love on one another too and it makes my heart soooooo happy! That is a sweet post. I think you need to frame it in your house. It makes me wonder what the staffers parents were like and how they raised loving kiddos! Can you inquire for me???
laceykeigley
Oh I have asked!! 🙂
Gretchen
So what did they say????
laceykeigley
Well.
It was a much longer response than I can type here.
But the parents love love love God
and they love love love one another
and they homeschooled their kids
and the dad was super active in their lives
and they all did many things together growing up
and that’s just some of it.
But a nutshell – you know.
And probably grace.
Sweet grace.
nikkie
yeah, i like this, lacey…… and it's fun get a glimpse the sweetness between siblings every now and then, isn't it?
cathy
that's beautiful! and i love the picture!
laceykeigley
Thank you!
sally
ahh, what we all hope for. and i love how your kids really care about one another and take care of each other…beautiful little keiglets !
shelley
Oh, wow, what a heartwarming tribute to your little "tribe." I hope when my kids grow up they can be as good of friends as yours : )!!