Yesterday was 8 months…8 months since we let one of our baby birds spread her wings and fly…she flew all the way across the ocean into the arms of her husband to write their story. I won’t say it’s always been easy because it hasn’t been. Learning a new normal after 18 years has been hard…at least on me it has…I think it has for the others too, but we all just deal with it in our own ways. This is how I deal with it…I write….maybe not very well, but I write. A little bit after she left I wrote about “saying goodbye” and in it I shared a letter she wrote to Robert and I to read after we parted. It is a beautiful letter and one that I will cherish the rest of my life. Here’s a link to that blog if you haven’t read it… https://wordsofheart.blog/2018/03/04/saying-goodbye
I told in that story that she had also written a letter to Alex and Anna Kate…that letter is even more beautiful than the one she wrote us. After a brief facetime call with her this afternoon I just knew it was time to share that letter. Anna Kate gave me permission to share…Alex…well he’s asleep so I hope he does not mind. What led me to share this is the conversation I had with Bailee this afternoon….she told me two things that made my heart swell…she told me how she prays for her siblings every day and that they will be able to resist common teenage urges and pressures and be set apart….she also told me how proud she is of them because she can tell so far they are doing that…she knows they aren’t perfect, but at the same time they are striving to be the best they can be. She said it’s because of how Robert and I parent them…how we pray…how we talk to them about things they are facing…how we discipline because they are FAR from perfect and need that often…and I quickly reminded her that God gets all the glory, but that she is a huge influence on how they choose to live also…they wanna be like their big sis…they look up to her. So that’s when I just felt the urge to write this and share this letter….this is the shadow that the twins are living in…and this is their role model….written February 8, 2018…
Alex & Anna Kate,
You guys were probably my first friends and will always be my best friends. I’m glad God blessed me with the best siblings I could’ve asked for, and I couldn’t image having one of you over the other. You’re both so different in the most incredible ways. Your differences compliment each other. NEVER change who you are to impress anyone else. Always be yourselves. Life (especially high school life) will throw you temptations, and rough times. I promise, there will be a way through all of it and that way is only through Christ. Stay with Him, and always keep your relationship with Him growing. You will be UNSTOPPABLE. Don’t Party. Don’t do drugs. Don’t drink. Wait for marriage. I promise, all of that DOES NOT amount to ANYTHING. Stay determined to be DIFFERENT than everyone else and you’ll succeed. You may be the only one sitting at home on Saturday nights, but I PROMISE it is completely worth it. People might try and convince you all of that is cool, instead, convince them that it’s not. Be the light. Our last days on earth are coming soon. I truly believe Jesus is coming very soon. You’ll want to be ready. It would really make me happy if you’d read Rise by Trip Lee. I left it here for y’all. It’s very inspiring and I know you’ll enjoy it. It’s geared towards youth. You’re going to mess up sometimes, but get back up everytime. Always follow your goals and set new ones. You can do anything you put your mind to. I believe that for both of you. I’m so thankful to have watched you two grow up even into the people you are today. I can feel it in my heart that you’ll both make great changes in the world. I’m thankful for all the laughs we’ve shared, and I’ll miss cracking up with you guys. I’ll miss watching Lost, and making fun of mom together. I’ll miss even simply eating dinner together. I hate that I’ll miss you playing soccer and twirling, but I know you’ll make me proud. You always do. I’m so sorry that I’ll be missing a small chunk of your lives, but I don’t have to if you just talk to me everyday. I know a big sibling plays a big role in their little siblings lives. I know this is hard for everyone, but my heart feels the most for you two. I wasn’t blessed with a big sibling like you guys and it must be hard to watch me leave. If you ever feel like sometimes you can’t talk to mom or dad, PLEASE come to me. That’s why God made me your big sister. I’ve been in your place and I won’t judge. It’s going to be so hard to leave y’all, but I’m just happy to have a family that’s hard to leave. ❤
I love you both with all of my heart,
Bailee
If a teenager is reading this…or even us adults…she may not be your big sis, but her words are wise beyond her years. She gives some great advice and should definitely be taken seriously. Be yourself, be different, be set apart, live a life that’s pleasing to God!
Words of Heart 