a tale of two sisters

She has always just oozed ‘I’m a big sister, these arms need to wrap around someone younger’. Always has. Long before she actually became a big sister, we knew she was never meant to be the baby in the family. It isn’t one specific trait, but more the whole of who she is that just needed someone under her wing. So many aspects of her beautiful personality and character truly come alive in relation to her role as a big sister. She was designed for it.

FireCracker didn’t get to go to China with us to meet her sister. This weekend marked one year they have had each other.

Some of my favorite ‘sister’ pictures from the last year.

This is my very favorite picture from their early days together. FireCracker would sit quietly on the floor with a snack and just watch her baby sister sleep.

After Little One’s cleft lip repair, FireCracker wouldn’t leave her side and sang to her when she cried.

September 2012 ~ September 2013

I often watch my girls and marvel at how much they both needed each other. I firmly believe that God has used their relationship to foster healing and restoration in Little One in ways Chris and I couldn’t. So many of her biggest leaps forward have been because of her big sister pushing her and loving her through it. It is evident that Little One quickly nestled into the security of her older sister’s arms. She looks up to her big sister and looks to her for guidance too.  And FireCracker rose to the occasion of being her sister’s protector and defender.

Watching them – when they cuddle and when they fight – is a gift. When I look back at these pictures it is crazy to see how much they have both changed and how they have settled into each other. Brothers are a gift. Sisters are a gift.