Oh, My Heart

We have often said the Megan was born for Clara. Don't get me wrong. Megan has been an absolute blessing in the life of our entire family, but Megan and Clara....those two are something special together. We were well aware something was going on with Clara months before Megan was born. While it made it extra difficult at first having two babies, one newborn and a one year-old with gross motor developmental delays, as the years have passed, they have become best friends. Megan has been a source of comfort and strength for Clara on many occasions. And while Clara is "different" from her sisters, physically speaking, we have always tried very hard to find the balance between letting her try anything and putting limitations on her. Mentally, Clara could conquer the world....and she just might, but physically, she definitely has her limitations. Even so, we never want her to feel disabled.

This morning something happened that melted my heart and encouraged me greatly! In our dinig room we keep a box of "stuff". It's the "stuff" that doesn't get picked up before bedtime when we tell the girls to pick up everything that belongs to them and put it away. The stuff that's left goes into the "stuff box", and after a period of time, the "stuff" goes away.....bye-bye....hasta la vista....later tater.... The only way to rescue the "stuff" is to work for it, usually in the form of jumping jacks. For Megan, our little bundle of endless energy, this is no big deal, but for Clara, it's a little more of a challenge. Especially lately as she seems to be in more and more pain, despite our best efforts to make sure she is getting plenty of rest. To compensate for their physical differences, we give them differing numbers of jumping jacks, depending on what they're earning back, while also giving a lesser amount to Clara without her noticing (She would never want to do less on purpose....she is rarely aware that she has a weakness, little Napoleon that she is.)...which brings me to this morning.....

When the little girls woke up, Megan came down from her room with her hands full of stuff (as usual), one of the items being her very favorite V-Tech computer that her grandparents got her for Christmas. Clara came down sucking her thumb and wanting to cuddle, also very typical. After some cuddle time, they both went to sit at the bar in the kitchen, waiting for me to cook their breakfast (what a life), but before I got in there, Megan ran into the dining room, unbeknownst to Clara, to ask me how many jumping jacks she had to do to earn Clara's computer back for her.

Uuuuhhhhhggg....my heart. I really thought I was going to cry. So, so very sweet, and to me, the perfect example of true love.

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. (or sister, in this case). Considering the verbal abuse the older two have been giving each other, and subjecting the entire family to lately, this sacrifice was extra-precious to me. To pull on this Mama's heartstrings even more, Megan has (very sneakily) been taking stuff out of the box that belongs to Clara this morning, trying to earn it back for her. She has no ulterior motive.....she just loves her sister, and despite us never telling her anything about Clara's medical history, she is so very sensitive to the needs of her sister.

God knew Clara needed this precious younger sister, and He also knew this Mama's heart needed some encouragement today. I am so thankful for such a loving Heavenly Father!

Have a blessed day!!

Much Love,
Jeannie