The Christmas of 2004, brought a change of events. I was 29 years old, freshly married and living in Kingsville. My brother Andrew was in his first year in college at A&M. (Insert pause for WHOOP)

For the holidays, I had driven to Houston from Corpus with my parents with three little kids that I didn’t know. They were cousins I had never met and never knew even existed. Their ages ranged from 3-7 and with an unfortunate event in their life, were being whisked away from everything they knew for necessary reasons with unfamiliar family.

You would think their circumstances would register in my heart and head when months later I got a call from my mom that they were planning on adopting the kids.
At 29, the idea of sharing my parents did not go over well. I adamantly objected with a list of why they couldn’t. Most of those revolved around me and the time they wouldn’t be able to spend with me or the future grandkids I thought I was going to be producing.

In the years to follow, I accepted the adoption and had no ill feelings towards it. However, due to other circumstances, I was unable to be involved with my family the way I wanted to. This resulted in not being at important events and birthdays of my adopted siblings. So even though we were officially siblings, the sibling bond hadn’t quite developed the way it had with my brother Andrew and I was pretty much absent in their life with the exception of major holidays.

In August of this year, I moved to Houston due to my approaching divorce.

Because of this move, I have been able to spend a lot of time with Kayla. We have naturally bonded into real sisters. I tell her my secrets and tell her not to tell mom. (Which I end up telling mom anyway.) She tells me I need to wear more make-up, especially eyeshadow. We can confirm whether or not each other’s outfits look good or don’t. I tell her my mistakes along with the wisdom learned from them. She is my adventure partner and at times exercise buddy. I get to occasionally catch her at her pitching lessons and I will do something different if it is what she prefers or makes her happy.

She is my sister.

The first time she laid her head on my shoulder I knew she loved me like a sister. It still catches me when she does it. It is such a simple form of affection but one that communicates that she loves me, feels safe with me, and needs me in her life.

It makes me realize how much I need her as well.

It is interesting how death brings life. About twelve years ago, she lost a parent and in this twelfth year since then is the death of my marriage. Two unfortunate events, that God has been able to bless with this unexpected gift of sisterhood.

Joel 2:25 NLT
The LORD says, “I will give you back what you lost to the swarming locusts, the hopping locusts, the stripping locusts, and the cutting locusts. It was I who sent this great destroying army against you.

To God be the Glory