Sitting in the living room, I put my book down with a sigh. I should have stayed home. This felt awkward and a bit tense. Well, I was here now.
When my mom stepped close to me to get something, I didn't try to stop myself from letting her know how I felt. "I hate this," I whispered. "I wish I would have stayed home."
Curling up in the chair with a sigh, I tried to talk to my nephew, but he was too busy playing with my younger brothers; my sister was focused on her book. Mom talked with my oldest sister, Heidi, in the bedroom.
I quietly gave myself over to my complaints. I'm only here because Mom wanted me to help with the kids. Why did I offer to help? I should have let her figure something else out!
I wanted to hold the baby, but was that going to happen? I wanted to spend time with Kyla and Kenny, but they were focused on something else.
Heidi left, and just then Mom got a phone call. She handed baby Marlee over to me, and then something changed.
As I held her, my almost five month-old niece whom I have not gotten to spend much time with, something changed as I realized...
This is worth it. Getting to have one-sided conversations with Marlee and see her smile is worth it.
Helping to feed her her bottle is worth it, too. Kissing her sweet, tiny head and fingers is worth it.
Hearing her big sister sweetly talk to her and love on her is worth it.
Doing puzzles with Kyla and Kenny and watching them while my mom takes Tim to choir is worth it.
Playing with them in the big chair is worth it, even if I did get a bit banged up in the process. :)
Cuddling up with Kyla under a cozy blanket while she plays her game and I read a book is worth it.
Hearing the excitement in Kyla's voice as she shows us her new American Girl doll is worth it.
Seeing Marlee's sweet smiles for her Uncle Noah, and her love for him and his for her, is worth it.
These three are so worth my afternoon and evening. Because God blessed me by making them my nieces and nephew. And because I love them.
