Learning tolerance from Olivia

Saturday, September 13, 2008
Today was a hectic day to say the least. There was much to do, as most Saturdays require, but today's events were those of true life and death. First, Olivia and I went to our friend Jamie's baby shower for her new, beautiful daughter Taylor. Such joy we feel for Dustin and Jamie over the miraculous adoption of their angel baby Taylor and all the love that she has brought to the neighborhood!! There is nothing like a new baby, fresh from Heavenly Father's arms to remind us of what really matters. Watching Olivia hold that sweet six-pound baby tugged at my heart. How can it be that she will soon be eight??

Then we went to the funeral of my mom's 90-year old brother Vard. What a near-perfect man he was; and he has raised a truly noble and great family of ten children and the exponential grandchildren that have come from them!! It was a fabulous gathering! I felt so blessed to be there and to hear the kind words, the incredible music from my dear cousins, and remember 40+ years of being his niece. Family is really all we get to take with us. How we treat each other is really what it is all about. For my Uncle Vard, he wins the grand sweepstake prize!

Well, Olivia didn't really want to go to the funeral, but we took her and Isaac anyway, thinking that they could play with all of the little cousins. As it turned out, just cousin Izzy wanted to play. There weren't any other little cousins as wild as Isaac! But Izzy and Olivia were willing to take Isaac downstairs to the nursery to play. It was a great arrangement... for about an hour. But the funeral lasted for TWO hours. By the time I got to the car, after all the visits with my cousins, (which extended the time from two hours...) Olivia was in tears from exhaustion and frustration for getting stuck tending her baby brother all that time. I felt so selfish. There's nothing worse than knowing I have hurt my little girl by taking advantage of her as the big sister!

So here is what I learned today:
1. She is pretty tolerant for a 7 year old! She waited until we were in the car to leave before she finally complained. After I apologized profusely, she never said another word. I was forgiven, just like that. How often am I that way?
2. She is a loving big sister and cousin Izzy is one of her very best friends! and...
3. I won't make that mistake again! Next time Isaac stays with a sitter and Olivia gets to play with a friend.

Tending your little brother is one thing when it is agreed upon in advance and lasts for about 15 minutes MAX; but long funerals aren't fair. Isaac doesn't know it yet, but he is so lucky to have her for a sister!

Olivia teaches me so much. Her heart is made of the purest gold. Wherever she goes, I want to follow.