Siblings

Dean's has one sister and four half siblings. His two oldest sisters, from his dad's first marriage, are coming over for dinner this evening. One lives in Alabama, the other in North Carolina and they are here to be with Danny. This is sadly one of those situations where family number one and family number two never blended. Dean has few memories of these two brothers and two sisters. Before the last few months there has not been any contact to speak of. But now with their father's illness and the injuries of their brother, these adult siblings are trying to figure out how to be a family even if it is forty something years after the fact.
I'm getting ready to make pilaf, salad and dump cake. When the Mr. gets home he'll throw some flat-iron steaks on the grill. Hopefully they won't judge the Ricardo room too harshly as all of the painting isn't done and a few of the cabinets still lack doors. I think they'll overlook it. After waiting for all of these years to reach out there are more important things to worry about. I'm glad they are coming over. In a few years the parents who made the decisions that shaped the lives of little boys and girls will be gone and grown up men and women will be left to decide if there is a family underneath all of the disappointment. I believe that God has plans for the Smith kids, all six of them. That might just be part of the beauty that will arise from the ashes of a declining dad, an injured brother and a second brother who is in desperate need of a liver transplant.
I am thanking God for the opportunity to watch those who remain finally hold hands and stand together as siblings.