Letter from Gretel (August 22, 2015)
Dear Jonathan, Sarah, Joshua, and Christina,
Though the summer
is ending, and I had so hoped you all would come home this summer, I still hold
onto the hope that the year is not over yet. Maybe this will still be the year
that you will choose to see the truth and rejoin your God given family that He
joined you to before you were even thought of! I, along with Mom, Dad, Noah,
and my husband, Kyle, will not let go of this hope for you.
This summer has
just flown by for us, as we spent it here with Mom and Dad while Kyle had some
training to do. It was really wonderful reminiscing of our childhood. When we
went down to the back forty and cut up firewood, taking it home, and stacking
it, I was reminded of a time we were out stacking wood in the barn. Jonathan,
you were in your mixed martial arts stage and were kicking at the air just
inches in front of people's faces to show us all your skills. That day I am not
sure what happened, cause you kicked at me and landed that kick right in the
middle of my face! Dad was so mad at you, and all you could do was stare at me
perplexed and announce, " Well that sure shattered my confidence!"
There were other
times this summer, I would be mowing the lawn or climbing up a tree trying to
hang a rope swing, and I would get hit with this wave of loneliness for my
siblings. Josh, when I climbed that tree, I could almost hear you and your
cautious sensible self, telling me it didn't look safe and not to go any
higher. Just like the time the trap door was nailed shut in the hay mow, and I
felt the need to walk on it and show you and Sean that it was absolutely safe,
right before I dropped straight through the floor! You were the best little
brother running to my aide! Thank you! I miss you. Noah so many times is so
cautious just like you. (Though he is also a firm believer that there are
sharks hiding in the lake!)
Noah and Dad have camped out so many times, though they have
it pretty good, since we found a few old mattresses that they put in the tent.
Noah loves it and asks for his stories like we used to. Noah has been sharing a
bed with me all summer, Christina, and its even harder to sneak away from him
than you were. I used to have to inch away from you and slowly army crawl out
of the room. What I wouldn't give now only
to give you a hug...From the pictures I have seen, you have grown into a very
pretty young lady. We did kid around those last few years together, that after
four kids, mom and dad finally got it right with you, as you got the best of
both sides.
Sarah, you are
never far from my thoughts and dreams. I hope you know that I was in awe of you
growing up. You were so beautiful and confident and told the best stories! Like
when we would be out tubing on the lake and would feel the water pushing up
under the tube, and you would tell me it was the sea monster trying to eat ME!
I am almost positive you told me he only ate blondes, and thus you were safe! I
smile thinking of those things! Noah loves it when I tell all these stories and
is always asking for stories about me and then he 'll name one or two of you.
This evening I
was telling Kyle about our summer's growing up and the lists on the counter in
the morning. Mom taught us well to work hard and get our work done quickly, so
we would be able to enjoy the fun things- like going to Stoney Brooke, hiking,
building, exploring, or playing your PlayStation, which somehow always seemed
to bring Dad right home! We worked hard and played hard and had the best
upbringing I can imagine. Sarah, you have said so many times that you wanted to
raise your children the exact same way Mom raised us! So what happened? Why did
you change? Jonathan, you admitted Mom was the best Mom! So why have you cut us
all off? Because she stood in defense of Dad when you all were attacking him
for having Noah and I over to join them for pizza?! You are wrong, Jonathan!
You were wrong when after three days of my begging God to forgive me and crying
perpetually, you said I still hadn't truly repented! You were wrong, and I
forgive you.
The other
evening, Dad and Noah were hugging Mom and being silly and kissing her all over
her face, and she laughed! It almost made me cry because it was the same laugh
that only you, Jonathan and Josh could somehow bring out of her...
Jonathan, Sarah,
Joshua, and Christina Anne- what you have done, allowed done and are doing is
wrong! God gave you to us and us to you, and what God has joined together, let
NO man take apart, put down, or destroy!
We are so ready for you all to come home! I love you all and
can't wait to share our lives and all our old memories and stories together
with our kids soon!
"Bon soir! Jutem!"
Love always,
Your Middle Sister
Gretel
