Jennifer Greene Sullivan
March 21, 2018
January 10, 2016, Chris and I went on our first date, which lead to a long term relationship, a June wedding, and our baby boy. The hardest part of blending our homes was bonding with each other’s children. Chris made it look so easy! My girls quickly bonded with him, and they loved him almost immediately. On the other hand, Chris’ daughter seemed reluctant to get to know me. I can only imagine how hard it was on her, his only child, to have four new people move into her childhood home. She also had to share her daddy with us; I can only imagine how her nine-year-old thoughts and emotions raced with confusion. How would she accept a larger, blended family? How would she maintain a strong relationship with her daddy with a new step family and a new brother?
I’ve ruminated over Bailey’s struggle for two years now. I often wondered how I could help her transition. I needed her to feel safe, loved, and appreciated. How could I help? My husband tends to be intrinsically and emotionally motivated to do good deeds for other people; I often observe him helping others even when I do not agree with his decisions to do “the right thing.” I have learned many lessons from him in the last two and a half years about unconditional love and support of others. I analyze his behavior
and motives quite often in my mind, wondering if I too could make the right decision when faced with an ungrateful, undeserving person in need. My contemplation leads me to only one conclusion about his decision to bring home our chickens: to strengthen our family’s bond. I was unable to predict that the daily caring of our hens, roosters, and turkeys would lead to Bailey and me growing closer as step-daughter and step-mother.
My grandmother often told me that the Lord works in mysterious ways, but who knew that He could work through a bunch of yard birds. Each day we feed, water, and commune with our fouls. Bailey meticulously takes up eggs each afternoon for incubation, and together we turn and clean them. This weekend, I will put this week’s egg in our incubator for our first round of hatchlings.
When Bailey spends the weekend with her mom, I know her mom will hear all about her chickens and our daily musings about them. She often brings family members to our house to see our coops, and she always asks me to take her out there. I love Bailey. I love my chickens, and maybe one day, we can ALL love each other.
Curvaceous Chick's Coop 