Brotherly Love

My thirteen year old mother's helper was here last night. She is a musician, a good student, and she is fantastic with the kids. We met her at the library when she couldn't stop smiling at the boys who as usual were running up and down the sidewalk outside the library after having to have been quiet and tame inside the library.

I asked her if she thought her mother would let her babysit sometime. We were sitting down for dinner and I explained that Yami and I would like to go out on a weekend afternoon to have some time together (Tuesday night date nights are probably off for at least six months after we get back from China b/c I won't leave Silin with a babysitter). I suggested that she could stay with the boys and let her know that Silin would come with us. Z looked up from his dinner plate and said, "what, you're going to take Silin with you?" and I thought I knew what would come next, something like, "don't take her, take me" or "that's not fair" but instead what Z said was, "don't take Silin, I want to play with her."

He wants to play with her. He means this. He loves little kids and he is a great big brother to Em and M. In fact, the first thing he said to me when he came to visit in the hospital after M was born was, "thank you for making him."

Thank you God for the children you've blessed me with and for the opportunity to make a difference in their lives. I am grateful beyond words. And thank you Z for your comment yesterday.....you give new meaning to "brotherly love"....