When Brenna was praying one night and said: “please bless mommy and daddy and Jessica and Nick”, we knew there might be a little problem in the multigenfam home. The average two year old probably struggles to understand exactly who mom and dad are in their life. Little Brenna has been bombarded with a variety of people and relationships that few adults regularly contemplate much less enjoy.
On a regular basis (i.e. daily about lunch time) an uncle shows up at the house: Logan. He lives down the road but his refrigerator seems to be broken or maybe it is his stove. In any case, he shows up and Brenna has to “deal with” an uncle: whatever that means. She loves to tease Logan and have him chase her around the house. Uncle Coby lives with Logan but shows up less frequently. Of course when he shows up he brings a big, yellow jeep. I’m sure Brenna loves Coby…. but it might just have a little to do with what he drives because she loves to have Coby take her out in the jeep.
The “aunt issue” is a further source of confusion. How Brenna’s mommy is also Sarah’s sister, or worse still, grandma’s daughter is pretty much quantum mechanics for a two year old. Tell Brenna she is pretty and she says “no, I Brenna”. Tell her that Sarah is grandma and grandpa’s daughter and you pretty much see smoke coming out of her ears. Of course, Sarah being the rightful “princess” (last child and daughter) in her parent’s home — while Brenna is constantly dressing as a princess – can also make things a little tense. Fortunately Sarah helps Brenna “play princes”, comfortable in the knowledge that she really is the princess, and they get along very well. Although she does occasionally feel it necessary to let Brenna know that Grandpa is actually “her dad” and not just Brenna’s grandpa.
Now if none of this who’s who makes sense to a two year old, it isn’t hard to understand why “in-law” isn’t even worth trying to explain. However, with Justin and Emily just an hour away and dropping in regularly the confusion is unavoidable. “Brenna, Justin is your uncle, Emily’s husband, she is your aunt, your mother’s sister and your grandpa’s and grandma’s daughter” – Brenna just twirls around the living room. Oh and Emily also thinks she is the princess in the home while visiting, so move over Sarah AND Brenna. Wonderfully, Brenna doesn’t seem to care and is in fact so comfortable with Justin and Emily that she likes to go to their house for a sleep over and to watch “Incredibles”.
With all of this confusion you might worry that Brenna will think she comes from a dysfunctional family because none of who’s who in the family makes any sense. Fortunately, Brenna has the uncanny ability to “alter” everyone that enters our home. Invariably – aunt, uncle, sister, brother, mom, dad, grandpa, whomever – comes into the house almost immediately gravitates to Brenna. I’m not sure if it is her lack of inhibitions or our own with a two year old, but everyone seeks her love and affection. Uncles chase her around the house like little kids. Aunts primp her hair, paint her nails and dress her in frills while sharing hugs and kisses. Grandparents dance and sing with her like they’re the town fools. And parents always love her.
In the process, we literally get to be part of a big happy family – brought together lovingly by a two year old completely unaware and uncaring of who’s who. I’m quite certain that without her, we might just be a bunch of dumb adults living (eating) in the same home. Truly, having a child in our home is a binding blessing from Heaven for all of us.
