The Bald Goat

It is now time for the fourth and final child, Rilian Fre Voss. If you thought our other kids were special, Rilian will blow you out of the water!

Piper is a great climber, athletic, and graceful on her feet, but Rilian was able to kick a ball around the yard when he could barely walk!

Finn likes to make you feel special and loved, but Rilian can change your day with just a smile!

If you thought Seven was skilled with talking and communication, Rilian will fascinate you with his vocabulary and speaking ability at such a young age!

So many things about Rilian remind us of his brothers and sister, but Rilian is not Piper. He is not Finn. And he is not Seven. He is Rilian and he is unique and different and special in his own ways.

• He loves kittens (Stuffed ones. The real ones kinda freak him out!)
• He loves balls (He will find a ball in almost everything round in shape!)
• He drools more than any other child…with his mouth open…a lot…
• he has an annoying habit of getting quieter when you ask him to repeat something you didn’t understand (all the way down to an inaudible moving of lips if you get closer to try to hear!)
• He actually stays in his bed at night and goes to sleep! (Something I would like his siblings to learn from him!)

And he is only 2 years old. Think of how he will grow and change and surprise us!

There was one time we were at the zoo and a man apologized for asking what might be a potentially offensive question. He asked “Are all of these children both of yours?” you see they looked so different that people could assume they were children from two different marriages! (We were not offended by the way and thought it was kinda funny!)

I think as parents we often compare our children innocently. We sometimes compare a younger child to his or her siblings as a way to reminisce about the older ones as they went through different phases. We try to remember how to handle different situations based on what we can remember working or not working. It is not an attempt to tear one child down and build another child up. But it can go there if we are not careful.

I am sure we can all remember the voice of the parent on the Saturday Afternoon Movie Special saying the terrible phrase, “Why cant you be more like your brother?” or “Your sister can [fill in the blank], why can’t you?” Such cringe worthy damaging words. And although we may not ever say things so blatantly damaging as these sentences, we sometimes say things that sting and harm just as much.

We cannot expect one child to be good at math just because an older sister was good at math. Their skills may be in reading, or art, or sports or any number of things. We are all different and we must learn to embrace and celebrate these differences and the joys and struggles that come with them.

Lord, I thank you for my wonderful family. I thank you for the uniqueness of each of my children and the joys and challenges that they bring to life. Please help me to be a good father. Help me to see my unique children for what you created and are continuing to create them to be. Thank you. I am richly blessed.