The Gift of Clyde and Claudia
by Sandy Arena on 03/28/14
It's Friday afternoon and we are finishing up home school at our house. Inevitably it's been a long week. It always is with school, sports, dance, work, the house, the dogs. Like everyone else, our lives are so busy.
But come Friday afternoon, our two younger children - Annaliese, age 10, and Caleb, age 12 - always ask, "Are Clyde and Claudia coming this weekend?"
Clyde and Claudia are our "adopted", part-time children. They are 12-year-old twins. They have been in our lives since they were six years old. We would have them every day if we could, but they live with their mom and attend school in the city of Rochester. We see them several times during the week, having committed to driving them to and from the activities we have enrolled them in including ballet and sports. They usually spend every weekend and parts of school breaks at our house, as part of our family. We stay involved in all areas of their lives including school where we have phone conferences with their teachers and principals, as well as provide their mother with the tools she needs to better raise them when they are not with us.
Anna and Caleb usually don't hang out together "socially" around the house anymore. They are siblings and they do home school together everyday, but at night, they typically go their separate ways around here. Over the weekend, however, when the twins are here, it's a different story. All four of them play together, whether it is playing a game, drawing, Xbox matches or just watching a movie together. They also choose to sleep together all piled in Caleb's bedroom on two beds and one Comfy Sack. Clyde and Claudia are like sibling glue for Anna and Caleb.
The Bible says it is better to give than to receive. We love giving to them - our time, our love, our resources. But I have found through this process of integrating them into our lives and giving to them, they give so much to us. I can't imagine our lives without them. Like all of us, they have had tribulations and tough moments in their young lives, but they have proven themselves to be resilient and positive.
I am thankful for the twins and what they bring to our lives. Forget what we do for them. It's really the other way around. Everyone should have a "Clyde and Claudia" in their lives.
