Walking the same path...

I spent Sunday Evening with my sister-in-law, Katie. The goal was to teach her to knit. We worked on that for about an hour. Our conversations went from talking about yarn and techniques, to baby items, then to the main subject that was really on both of our minds.

My Brother, Matt, and his wife, Katie are in the process of adopting a baby from Russia. You can follow their story in more detail on their blog which is one that I follow. "Our Journey".

But Sunday night's conversations were a little more personal and more emotion driven than facts and time lines. I knew it would be a conversation that would take place and I knew it was something that we needed to talk about.

Katie and I seemed to fit well together as sisters from the beginning. None of my brothers past girlfriends gave me the time of day, so, when I first met Katie and she hugged me, I knew this was the one. I wasn't even surprised when Matt asked me if he could propose at Me and Jonathan's Wedding Reception. Katie was a brides maid and already a part of the family in my eyes. I actually felt blessed to be able to share my special day with them. The day my dream came true, was the day her dream had just begun. It was just right.

It was only natural that we had decided to have our children together. Or at least try to have them around the same time. We were so excited as we dreamed up plans for trips to the zoo together, birthday parties together, and all the fun things we did when we were kids.

It's been almost five years since My brother Proposed to her at the Harvey wedding and a lot has changed since. I guess life just happens that way. They have moved from Newton to Elbing and then from Elbing to Wichita and with Work, Responsibilities, and other Family, we just don't see each other as much as I thought we would.

It wasn't until this Christmas that the news was dropped that they were adopting. And it took me until two weeks ago to muster up enough courage to bring it up with her on Facebook. I guess I was surprised that She wasn't telling me. I wasn't included in the process. I mean, this is my only Brother, and the only "sister" i had ever known. But, I had to push that back (far back) and realise that this wasn't about me anyway.

This was about them.

The little chat window in Facebook was beginning to fill with 3 paragraph responses about where they were in the process, and bits and pieces of her hopes and fears. I knew this needed to be a conversation in person and not on the computer screen. She had mentioned that she wanted to learn to knit and make baby things for the gifts she would take to Russia. I saw that as my window of opportunity and said "Yes, I'll teach you. Lets get together this weekend!"

So, after only about an hour of knit lessons, we somehow ended up in the hallway upstairs, leaning against the wall and talking. We talked about their adoption and me and Jonathan's hopes of having a baby. It was a long (4 year) overdue heart to heart. Even though we are going in two completely different directions, we have the same goal, and we somehow managed to come back together at the same time.

I am so thankful for my Sister. And I am so thankful that we are walking the same path again.