Saturday, November 5, 2011

Little Women

It's a Little Women day today. The trees are dripping gold and red all over the sidewalks, the sky is overcast, and little flurries of snow are twirling around the windows. It's a day for brewing tea or hot chocolate and snuggling on the couch with a blanket while watching the March sisters parade about their attic in costumes and say "Marmy" and be scandalized about Laury putting snow on Meg's ankle. Unfortunately, a DVD of said movie is nowhere to be found. Apparently everyone likes to watch the March sisters at this time of year.

Clearing away the Halloween drawings from my front window and replacing them with Turkeys and ships and corn and Indians and Pilgrims with Jessi, I once again found myself missing my own little women. My sisters, all with beauty and wit and character to rival that of the fictional March sisters. Rachel, Reana, Rebecca, and Risa, my very best friends, my greatest treasures! As I settled for listening to the songs from the stage version of Little Women, my mind came alive with my own memories of growing up with four of the most fantastic women ever to grace the planet and, like Jo, I couldn't help wishing that we'd never grow up and wondering, "Will we never all be together again?" I do so miss the days when we were all together every day.
.... But then I thought of my new sister, Rachel, and my new brother, Blair, and my very new Nephew, Paul. Growing up brings so many changes that are hard for me, but there are the blessings, too. It was hard for me when Rebecca moved out of the house to live with her husband, but Blair proved to be such a great blessing to the family that I was glad she did. Though the family is more spread out these days, it's also growing, and the times we do get to spend together become even more precious. I am so excited for Thanksgiving to come so I can see my beautiful family! It is only the tiniest taste of the excitement I feel for an even greater reunion in the next life.