Sisters

Sophie claims she "prayed her heart out" for a little sister. She points to different places in our house where she prayed that our third baby would be a little girl! She could not be more excited about Lillie getting old enough talk and to play dress up and princess with her. She has big plans for a "Girls' Club," and the three of us teaming up against Daddy and Will for every manner of competion. She already holds Lillie every day, reads to her most nights, and declares her love to her around the clock.

Sophie hasn't considered the possibility that she and Lillie won't always be best friends. She hasn't thought about the inevitable arguements she will have with her younger sister. She can't yet imagine that Lillie will ever get on her nerves or that they will ever be jealous of each other. That they will ever want to pull each other's hair out seems ridiculous to her. Them hurting each other's feelings is the farthest thing from her mind. And yes, I fully intend on reminding her the first time she grips about Lillie touching her "stuff" that she "prayed her heart out" for a sister, and God, afterall, knows just what we need...

But I don't feel the need to burst Sophie's bubble because along with the inevitable drama,

bickering, and hair pulling that these two will share, they will also share a greater love and connection than either of them can imagine. Sophie actually has great reason to be on "cloud nine." For it is my prayer that Sophie and Lillie will walk through life together. That they will share each others joys and heartaches. That they will be there for each other during breakups, tell each other when they find "the one," stand next to one another on their wedding days, and celebrate the birth of each other's children. I'm sure together they will critique Will's girlfriends and talk about how I drive them crazy, and try to figure out how to keep me from finding out what they don't want me to know! They will undoubtedly spoil one another's children and believe in each other's dreams. They will share a deep understanding of one another, and one day, they will support one another when Matt and I are no longer here to.

I can't imagine my life without my sisters. Just in the past twelve months, together we've celebrated a marriage, a graduation, and a new baby together. We've confided in one another, laughed with one another, helped one another and made fun of mom and dad to each other. Most recently, we have faced the possiblity of losing our dad together, and now, we are supporting one another on this new journey our family is taking. There is no one I would rather journey with than Tori and Hope.

So, even though Sophie is looking through rose-colored glasses about what having a sister will be like, the truth is she doesn't know the half of how amazing her relationship with her sister can be. And even though my house will be full of the sounds of whispering, yelling, laughing, bickering, and the occassional out-and-out hair-pulling, I'm glad this guy will be around to keep our girls in line!