As we end the near of summer, I’m ok with it, and ready for the next season (aside from the fact that it’s Fall and I love ALL things Fall). It’s been a very eventful summer, just not the kind we had imagined at the beginning of the year. At the beginning of summer, I was having a hard time dealing with what the reality of our summer was going to look like…knowing that things we had hoped and planned to do, things we just assumed we would do, etc., we couldn’t. It was a constant struggle and I found myself really having to take a break from social media some days because the envy of what other families were doing, just became overwhelming. But over the course of these past few months, I realize we’ve been given a gift. It may not seem like it at surface value, and it’s one that I do have to remind myself of, but it’s there nonetheless.

This summer, we have been given the gift of family time (something my sister in law helped remind me of early on). One of my biggest prayers from the get-go with our kids, was that they would be best friends for their entire lives…that the Lord would bind their hearts together from the youngest of ages…that they would be each other’s biggest fans, strongest encouragers, most faith inspiring influences, and truly the best of friends. Although some of this happens organically, just in our day in and day out routines and activities, I think it’s so easy for kids to get lost in their own world with their friends and miss out on sibling relationships (especially when ages and abilities and interests are so different at these young ages). And so here is our gift. Our gift of pouring into our children day in and day out. Our gift of our children learning patience, grace, love, and enjoyment with each other. Our gift of our children praying for each other. Our gift of our children building a strong foundation of friendship on which they will build the rest of their lives.

We often refer to our lives as “now” and “before”. No further explanation is needed on that part. “Before”, Wyatt and Brynna were the best of friends. They played so well together around the house. They made each other laugh, and egged each other on. When we would go to small group or bible study and they would be in the same room with lots of other kids, they would always only play with each other. I always tried to encourage them to branch out, but they just instinctively gravitated towards each other and genuinely enjoyed each other’s company. In those weeks Brynna spent in the hospital, one of the (many) things I grieved was the relationship between her and Wyatt. I knew they would always love each other, but I just felt (or expected) a shift in how that would look. When we first brought her home, that shift was evident. Wyatt was gentle and caring with her, but things were different. They didn’t interact like they used to, they didn’t make each other laugh, they didn’t play much together. My heart ached as I watched them together, longing for the days when they could easily entertain each other for a whole morning, and laugh and giggle and play.

But you guys…as the days have turned into weeks and months, and as Brynna has slowly grown stronger and more capable and more joyful, I’ve watched their interactions grow, their enjoyment with each other grow, and their ability (and desire) to play together grow. I’m realizing that THAT is what I want our summer to look like…watching these two (and Cole!!) grow closer and closer. Our summer may look very different from other family’s summers. We may not have been able to take any trips (big or small) or have pool dates or visit the zoo. But we have all 3 of our children with us, and the hope of Jesus.

Just this past month, Wyatt and Brynna have reached the level of play and interaction they had “before”, and I know it will only grow stronger from here! The other night, they were laying together in Brynna’s room, and I heard Wyatt say, “I don’t know what I would do without you Brynna.” CUE THE TEARS. And then when Ben left the room for a little while (long story on how our nights go), I looked at the camera, and Wyatt had crawled up into Brynna’s bed and snuggled her with his arm around her. CUE THE TEARS AGAIN! As Cole has gotten bigger and more interactive, he just jumps right into the fray and he ADORES Wyatt (pretty sure Wyatt is his favorite person in the whole world)…and Brynna has really relished in the role of big sister, but I know she’s learned so much of that from watching Wyatt, and it’s the most precious thing in the world, watching these 3 interact.

This past weekend was our BEST weekend I can remember in a very, very long time. We took a family bike ride at High Bridge on Saturday, followed by a family pool evening at my parents’ neighbors pools. On the bike ride, I pulled a trailer with the 2 big kids in it, and several times throughout the ride, I heard both pipe up at different times saying, “This is SO much fun! Can we do it again?”. This morning, they both agreed that was their favorite part of the weekend. It was mine too. 🙂 The pool time was wonderful and was Brynna’s first (and probably only) time in the pool this summer, but it was a blast that we all got to do it together!

This summer may not have looked like something we ever would have chosen, but investing in our family has been so wonderful, even if the reasons are hard. We love these 3 kiddos so much, and are so very thankful for how the Lord has led our family these past few months!