Sisters

Sisters, I am blessed with two of them and we are close enough in age to have a childhood full of happy memories. When my first daughter was small I wished a little sister for her, but the years passed without another girl, instead we welcomed a baby brother into our home. We named him Josiah. After Josiah, Bethany welcomed another little brother into the world. I don't recall how old she was when she actually told me she wanted a baby sister. I wasn't planning to have any more babies and so replied, "And where do you think you're going to get one?" She smiled and replied, "From out of you!"

I'm certain that my dear daughter prayed sincerely for a little sister and in late March of 1993 I was once again pregnant. While we had been prepared for another baby boy when Nathan arrived in 1990, this time the ultrasound had not revealed the sex of the baby. Bethany was absolutely sure, in spite of our warnings, that a sister was on the way. When the baby was born and her Grandma told her that she had another brother, my sweet daughter disappeared into a dark corner of Grandma's house for a good cry. At the hospital I placed the squirming baby in her arms and asked her if she wanted to send him back. She said no and decided Benjamin was beautiful even if he was a boy.

With each child added, our home became not only noisier, but less space was available to put them. James and I had already moved out of the master bedroom of our home and into a smaller room to make space for our crew of boys. Bethany shared her tiny bedroom with Benjamin. Our house was full but God had heard the prayers of a small girl. Expecting once again, the ultrasound this time revealed the baby would be a girl. We warned Bethany that sometimes they were wrong.

By the time Hannah arrived in July of 1995, our first little girl was closing in on 10 years old. She was ecstatic to have a baby sister and Hannah, eager to catch up with Bethany, did her best to outgrow every pair of clothes she owned within three months time. Ten years is a lot when children are five and 15 but as my daughters grow I have watched the gap close. I am blessed to see the love and affection they have for each other and thankful for the answered prayer of a little girl surrounded by brothers.