sweet mara

My sweet niece, Mara, called yesterday and told me she is home from school again still fighting a fever. She was feeling very discouraged and disappointed because today her entire 5th grade is going on a field trip to go down hill skiing. And she's going to miss it because she's sick.

I'd like to pause right here and put on my old aunt hat for a moment. When I was a kid we took field trips to thrilling places like the county courthouse. Down hill skiing?!! My oh my, how things have changed. It was Mara's own mother who had to be picked up from her field trip at the Pickle Factory because the fumes made her puke.

Back to Mara. I just love this girl to pieces. And being that she is home in bed today, feeling sad to be missing out, I thought I'd leave her a little blog love.

Mara was born when I was a student at the seminary and she lived just 20 minutes away from me. Now there is something very, very special that happens when your sister has a baby. Because of the closeness of sisters, that first baby born between the two of you is basically your shared child. Of course your older sister doesn't quite see it this way, but the younger sister absolutely does. I loved Mara like my own and spent every minute I could with her. When she was one year old, Rory and I drove with her and her folks in a big moving truck out to Montana where she lived for five years. And I missed her so much that we decided to move out there for a while too.

Now she lives just an hour away and I still soak up every single minute with her. She is a very bright and intelligent girl. And she loves to write! She will send us her stories and it is such a joy to read all that is in her imagination. Writing has been such a gift for me, such a fun outlet for my thoughts and feelings, and I'm so pleased that she processes life this way too.

She is amazing with my kids and loves to hold and feed Hattie. She enjoys running and has become quite the soccer player. And she ice skates. And she does gymnastics. And she has a lovely singing voice. She's quite impressive all around. I love this girl with my whole heart and have enjoyed every age, watching her use all the gifts God has given to her.

We love you Mara! We will be praying for you to feel better very soon!

(Late last night I got a text that Mara has Pnemonia. So keep her in your prayers. Her cough sounds awful and even with a day of antibiotics she still has a high fever. She sent me texts from the doctor's office keeping me in the loop, and I sent her pictures of my living room that we are painting Girard Red. I loved it in that house and Rory was the one who picked it for this one. It's going to be awesome. Off to paint coat #2!)