Big Sister Serene

This is my niece Serene. She is a big sister now! And she has been a blessing to me in so many ways. For the past week and a half, her life has been crazy, especially for a child under 3. I have spent several nights with her since her brother was born, and every night she reminds us to pray for her brother, Baby Skyler because she loves him and misses him and wants him to come home.
She reminds me of how important it is to stop and pray and place our cares at the feet of the one who can handle them... Because guess what? We can't.
My word for the year is "Prayer". It is very fitting. In fact, I knew it would be prayer when we picked our words at the retreat. I said, "God, I know that my word is prayer, and I am okay with that as long as it isn't contentment again." And since returning home, I need more prayer than I thought.
My nephew is okay, but not where we had hoped, and he continues to be not at home. This means a lot of trips to the hospital for Mommy, and a lot of inconsistency for Serene.
However, she has benefited with a Big Sister Party and gifts from her Grammy and Papa and all her Tee-Tees. (That's Serenese for Aunts.) It's funny to look at your life and realize that the person you care about and think of the most is your preschool-aged niece. She is also the person that teaches me the most about life. She has started carrying the Bible her parents bought her everywhere. She asks for me to read it to her, and I am totally blessed by her love for God and His Word.
Man, I love this girl.
I just thought I'd share.
Continue in your prayers for Skyler, and for Aaron (3, recently diagnosed with cancer) and Jesse (16, recently diagnosed with Leukemia). I have to say, I think prayers are working now as these families face Job-like struggles.