My two Sons (Lisa)

Lying in bed this morning as the early morning sun shined through the drapes in my half-awake state, I started staring up at two marker-colored wooden cars sitting on top of the refrigerator in our room. These are the cars that the boys colored together during the social workers visit at the children’s home. The girls made bead bracelets at the same time. (The social worker’s report in court talked a lot about the kids being engaged in joint activities, which impressed her. They could not speak the same language yet could work together.)

I started thinking about all the artwork that would hang on my fridge at home. Mostly I started thinking about how much the same and yet at the very same time how different the boys are. They both very much like to build with Legos and will sit and build for hours. Not only do they both like to build with them they both have to be building something specific, not just attaching bricks together. They both look to their sisters for guidance, but at the same time they both want to make their own choice at times as well. They both enjoy soccer (or futbol) but don’t always want to be part of a big group. Just to top it off they both are left-handed (Grandpa you will have a couple of boys to sit next to.) Yet how very different they are. Luke has grown up being encouraged to try lots of things to go lots of places and has always had plenty to eat. Peter has spent his life being told he can’t, has not gone outside of Stavropol and has barely had enough to eat. Hence Luke weighs twice as much as Peter and Peter comes up to just under Luke’s shoulder. You know what? They both give Mom great hugs. Different and yet the same, but they are now brothers forever (Luke inscribed the back of both cars “Luke and Peter, brothers forever!) Pray for me as I try to be the best Mother I can be for both of them (and their sisters too.)