Our Newest Addition

As some of you may already know, we have welcomed our newest addition to the family.



Date of Arrival: February 9, 2009



Her Name: Elyan Jeanine



Length: 67"



Weight: (undisclosed)



Our Girls:

I posted our announcement three months after our latest addition was added. This should probably be explained. To do that, I have to go all the way back to the day I found out about Elyan Jeanine.In church on a distant past Sunday, while the service was wrapping up and the children were wrapping themselves around my neck, announcements were being made. I rarely hear announcements. What I hear are heavy whispers and whinings about how hungry little boys are, how hungry the big boy is, how the little boys were all naughty during sermon time, or how someone has started undressing themselves. The end of church is a general unraveling of ropes.

On this particular Sunday, one announcement caught my attention.

"....she needs a place to rent short term. She just needs a room, she's from Alabama, she's a Christian, and she likes big families."

Could this be for real? Someone who is a certified adult, who shares our passion for the Southern way of life, WHO DOESN'T MIND CHILDREN? I found this mythical creature difficult to believe in. I saw other mothers perk up and respond immediately. Church was over and they were moving quickly towards the announcer. I instantly knew that my position in the sanctuary made it impossible to get to her in time. I leaned over to my oldest child, a 6 year old boy, and said, "Henry, go tell her we're interested."
"What?"
"Don't worry about it! Just go to her and say we're interested! RUN!!!!!"

I shoved him off in order to speed up the rate of acceleration. It worked. I saw her look down at Henry and flash a knowing smile at me. Yes. I am definitely interested, my expression screamed.

That week, I received a phone call from a Miss Elyan from Alabama. We set a date to meet. I suggested she keep her options open before she met the whole collection of Peters and saw her possible accommodations. It was agreed.

She came skipping and dancing up the sidewalk. She burst through the front door with a huge smile and an easy laugh. It was hatefully cold outside. I introduced her to the children. Violet leaned over and peered at her upside down through her legs. The boys giggled goofy and silly and performed ridiculous stunts to impress her. Someone ran into someone else and they both started crying. She got to know the kids.

I showed her around the house. I showed her the room she would rent and the bathroom we would share. So there it is, I said. Remember, we only have one bathroom and we have four small kids. She said, yes, but you also have a bathroom downstairs too. Sure, I said, but we would be sharing this one up here and we have four small kids. She merely smiled. I thought this meant she was simply terribly naive. I urged her to think carefully about things before she committed.

And this is why I waited three months to announce her. For several weeks, I expected to see her running for the hills screaming frantically for help. She didn't. She stayed.

And we're so happy she did.





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