November 4: This picture showed up in my Facebook "memories" from 3 years ago. They didn't know I was watching...I took it through the window. Look at how they are both sitting!
It started me thinking how very thankful I am for the "in-laws" in our family.
You know, you don't really have control over who your children marry...unless you lived, like, in the 1800's...or in some country where arranged marriages are considered the acceptable way to do things.
Holly and Aaron-the-son-in-law started dating when Holly was 14 or 15 years old...I think she was in the 9th grade. And, no, they could not date-date...until she was 16. They came over to our house, or they went over to his house...all the while with close parental supervision. They dated for 7 years before they married.
Joshua adored Aaron from Day 1. And Aaron has been really good with him. As much as I talk about how sweet Joshua is...and he is very sweet and very precious and I love him half-to-death...he doesn't always make things easy.
He's got him some moods, LIKE WE ALL HAVE.
Aaron takes it pretty well, and God bless him...because Joshua is honest to a fault. Like, "you need to watch what you eat, Aaron," or "I've made you a work-out plan, Aaron." Or, "you eat too fast, Aaron."
He calls Aaron his "add-on brother." Like, "maybe me and Holly and the "add-on" can go to dinner while you're gone."
We know how Joshua is...his personality, his temperament, what he likes, what ticks him off...because we've been around him his whole life. So there is something to be said for the ones who get in there and work hard to establish a relationship with him.
Joshua likes to make his own choices and he likes his routine, so pushing him too hard will not go well. Even if it's something he wants to do, if we put too much pressure on him, he won't do it. Swimming, playing catch, watching a football game...all things Joshua likes to do with Aaron. All things Aaron will ask Joshua to do. All things Joshua may fight Aaron on, depending on the day. And, the thing is, Joshua ALWAYS ends up having a good time after it's all said and done.
Stubborn.as.a.mule.
But...he comes by it honestly.
My Grandma Ellen...she used to complain about this or that, or wish for this or that...and we (mainly my Mom) would bend over backwards to figure out a way to get it done for her, and then my Grandmother would end up not doing it, or not going to it...because she would say it "didn't suit" her.
And she would kind of sniff when she said it, like, (sniff) "It didn't suit me."
Well, alrighty then. Just sit in your house alone.
I call Aaron the "Joshua-whisperer," because he works until he finds a way to reach Joshua...and he usually does. This is saying something because the same technique doesn't usually work twice.
I am THANKFUL for my family...for the "add-ons" that have been added, and for the "add-ons" that are to come.
We are THANKFUL to have Aaron in our family. He has the patience of Job. We are also THANKFUL for Morgan-the-add-on-sister. Joshua is over the moon for Morgan...AND WE ALL KNOW IT!
God continues to enlarge our family through marriages and births and the friends that we welcome in...and I.love.it.
God's ways are always better than our ways.
"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God." (Colossians 3:16)
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