Saturday, October 25, 2014

16

I try really hard not to compare my kids to one another.  But for the purpose of this blog post, it's kind of necessary.  I marvel all the time how four little people who came from the same parents and virtually the same life experiences can be so vastly different, especially the girls.  
Have I mentioned that Savannah and Emma hate each other?  Well they do.  At least at this stage of their lives.  They are extremely competitive, highly volatile and emotionally turbulent.  They are a lot of great things, too, as you already know because I write about them all the time, but when they're together, they bring out the worst in each other.  

I'm sure I should have done something earlier in their little lives to build a bridge where there was none, but unfortunately my "only-childhood-ness" has left me woefully unprepared for this particular parenting challenge.  The best thing I accidentally ever did for them was to give birth to their sister, Megan.  She is a vast ocean of white standing between those two blazing red personalities, and she loves them equally and unconditionally.  She is best friends with both of them.  Neither one knows for sure which is the favorite sister.  

And that is the miraculous contribution Megan brings to our family.  She is the peacemaker, the caretaker, the nurturer, the positive reinforcement, and the translator of everyone's intentions.  She looks for the good in everyone, and she finds it.  

I am so grateful for Megan's quiet confidence and her ability to be what we all need.  She doesn't have much of her own drama, so she just absorbs all of ours. She's Savannah's first choice to help her dissect a baffling text conversation with a boy.  She's Emma's first choice to take on an adventure or have a party.  And she's McKay's first choice to help him with homework. (Seriously, he would pick Megan over me!)  And while Savannah or Emma might be my first choice to take on a shopping spree, Megan would be my first choice for a barn hunting companion any day of the week!

It's so exciting to watch her little world open up and now include things like dating and...driving!  She happily embarks on every single adventure and opportunity with enthusiasm.  And I can't wait to see what the next two years with her will bring.  What a privilege it is to be her mom!  

2 comments:

  1. This is so beautiful, my friend...
    And what an amazing mother you are.
    You know each of your children so deeply.
    You recognize their very souls.
    What a blessing your sweet peacemaker is.
    You know, that is exactly what my father used to call me. : )

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    Replies
    1. Of course you were the peacemaker in your home! So grateful that each family gets at least one of those. <3

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