Sister Bracelets

A1 has always been my sensitive one. Generally, she is a kid who doesn't want to leave others out. Not always... Sometimes she is an 8 year old kid, but most of the time... She is usually the first to get her feelings hurt or the first to know when someone else has hurt feelings. She feels bad when she hurts someone's feelings. Not just a little bad, but really bad. Guilty for days, bad. 

While she has this great deal of compassion for people who don't live at our house, the members of our family are fair game. This is especially true for A2. That girl can't even walk into a room without A1 criticizing her for something. Breathing; she does it wrong. Moving her eyes to follow a butterfly; wrong. Sitting on the floor; completely wrong.  She can't do anything right, ever. 

Needless to say, I was shocked when A1 returned from her Nana and Papa back to school shopping trip with a little something for A2. While they were at the mall, she found "Friendship Bracelets" that say "Lil' Sis" and "Big Sis". She was so excited and proud of her find. She told me, with a slightly shaky and emotional voice, that she wanted to give it to A2 so she wouldn't be scared or alone when she goes to kindergarten. 

A1 was a little teary eyes when she was talking about A2 going to school. PROOF! She really, actually, truly loves her sister.  I need to chairish this moment for as long as I can, at least until I'm distracted by their arguing. 

A2 was so proud that her big sister picked out such a thoughtful bracelet. She insisted we put it on her right away. She kept looking at it all morning. Then she would look at A1 and smile. She was thrilled! 

She wore the bracelet for two days until she noticed the charm was missing at dinner tonight. There was crying, lots and lots of crying. She just knows someone stole it. She just knows it went down the drain at school. She just knows it fell off in the garbage cans at lunch. She just knows it is on the playground at school. She just knows it is on the bus. She just knows it is at the neighbor's house. She just knows it is in our yard. Really, she just knows she lost one of her most prized pocessions. 

It has been a very sad night at our house. We are mourning the loss of a bracelet charm. If anyone finds our charm in any of those places she just knows she lost it, please return it. OR, if you just so happen to be shopping at Justice, shudder, please pick one up. I will pay, as long I don't have to go in that place!