We've been teaching Hannah a Bible verse each week before bed. We go until she gets it and then start a new one. Her latest is Psalms 118:24 "This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."
She's pretty much got it down, but gets hung up on the Psalms part. We try to incorporate not only the verse, but explain in 3 year old language what the verse means so she can understand what she is learning. It is always good to see that she is absorbing what we teach her.
Yesterday Hannah and Grace were playing in a clothes basket while I was in the kitchen. Hannah was being quite bossy telling Grace to "Sit down" and I heard a lot of "No, Grace". I was getting irritated with her and reminded her several times to stop being so bossy, that Grace doesn't always have to play the way Hannah wants to. Needless to say, I was surprised when I overheard what Hannah's next command was.
"Just rejoice and be glad, Grace."
Now that's memory verse application. I think we should probably work on it again!
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Introducing...???
A baby!! We don't really know who we are introducing yet. We don't know if it is a he or a she. We don't even have a cute nickname that has really caught on. What we DO know is that the baby is due March 17 (but if the previous two hint at anything, we'll see him/her before then), is seemingly healthy, and if the amount of wiggling is any indicator of happiness, our baby is ecstatic to be on the way!
From here on out we shall refer to the baby as a he. This is not in anyway to suggest that the baby IS a boy. We don't know. We asked to not find out, the ultrasound tech didn't utter a word about it, and we didn't see anything to give us any clues. We referred to both Hannah and Grace as "hes" in the womb and they are both secure in their femininity (at least so far!) so we'll keep the trend going and just call the baby a he!
My favorite. Baby's whole body profile. He literally has his legs up by his face!
This was the first profile we saw. The "growth" by the baby's mouth is his hand. He had his hand up by his mouth for most of it. I suspect this is why I feel near constant "tickles" in that area of my belly.
And the classic picture of the foot. I can't wait to tickle them!
So this is our newest pride and joy. Since this baby wasn't necessarily "planned", I've found that I've taken to thinking about the baby as the blessing that God wanted us to have. We were planning a baby in "our" time, and God said "Hey, wait, I have this special little one for you NOW." It took a little bit of time, but I'm very exited to meet him (or her!) I view him as a surprise from God! And I'm always one for surprises!
From here on out we shall refer to the baby as a he. This is not in anyway to suggest that the baby IS a boy. We don't know. We asked to not find out, the ultrasound tech didn't utter a word about it, and we didn't see anything to give us any clues. We referred to both Hannah and Grace as "hes" in the womb and they are both secure in their femininity (at least so far!) so we'll keep the trend going and just call the baby a he!
Baby's face profile. We got to see lots of this and I can't complain. We never find out the gender, so the face is the thing I always look forward to seeing the most!
My favorite. Baby's whole body profile. He literally has his legs up by his face!
This was the first profile we saw. The "growth" by the baby's mouth is his hand. He had his hand up by his mouth for most of it. I suspect this is why I feel near constant "tickles" in that area of my belly.
And the classic picture of the foot. I can't wait to tickle them!
So this is our newest pride and joy. Since this baby wasn't necessarily "planned", I've found that I've taken to thinking about the baby as the blessing that God wanted us to have. We were planning a baby in "our" time, and God said "Hey, wait, I have this special little one for you NOW." It took a little bit of time, but I'm very exited to meet him (or her!) I view him as a surprise from God! And I'm always one for surprises!
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Belated Halloween
I had intended to post pictures of our Halloween festivities right away after Halloween, but the unexpected loss of Aurora threw away that ambition. But since I think the pictures are still cute two weeks later, I will post the pictures!
Hannah was much more into the carving of the pumpkin this year. She helped scoop out the insides and once she overcame the general "yuck factor" I think she enjoyed herself. Grace was thoroughly disgusted by the entire thing, but she was really excited to sit on the table!
Our grumpy bumblebee and beaming bride. Grace was just bemused by the entire thing. "Why do I have antennas, again?" seemed to be the question in her eyes. Hannah adores dress-up on any day, so dress up that involves getting candy was just pure childhood heaven for her!
When asked to pose for a picture Hannah gracefully settled herself beside her prized Jack-o-Lantern and smiled. I couldn't have set up the picture better myself!
Grace just would not smile in the bee costume. At least not until we asked her to go and get candy. Then she was all smiles! But unfortunately by that point I didn't have the camera!
We had a lot of fun. Next year will probably be the first year that Hannah will specify what she gets to be for Halloween. Usually we use whatever costume we have laying around. That should be interesting!!
Hannah was much more into the carving of the pumpkin this year. She helped scoop out the insides and once she overcame the general "yuck factor" I think she enjoyed herself. Grace was thoroughly disgusted by the entire thing, but she was really excited to sit on the table!
Our grumpy bumblebee and beaming bride. Grace was just bemused by the entire thing. "Why do I have antennas, again?" seemed to be the question in her eyes. Hannah adores dress-up on any day, so dress up that involves getting candy was just pure childhood heaven for her!
When asked to pose for a picture Hannah gracefully settled herself beside her prized Jack-o-Lantern and smiled. I couldn't have set up the picture better myself!
Grace just would not smile in the bee costume. At least not until we asked her to go and get candy. Then she was all smiles! But unfortunately by that point I didn't have the camera!We had a lot of fun. Next year will probably be the first year that Hannah will specify what she gets to be for Halloween. Usually we use whatever costume we have laying around. That should be interesting!!
Saturday, November 1, 2008
In Memorium
Psst. I have a secret.
I'm actually one of those people who treats my pet like my baby.
Well...I used to...before I had my own babies.
Seven years ago in the summer of 2001 a very special pet entered my life. I was young and living in a strange city. I had moved to Philadelphia to be closer to my then-boyfriend Eric and was awkwardly living with his roommate's girlfriend. Being the introverted person I am, I rarely ventured far from his apartment or hers. Eric worked all day and I was basically on my own. I was pretty bored and very lonely. And then one day I walked into the downstairs apartment and there she was.
A white cat sitting on the counter staring me down with her penetrating blue gaze. I had never seen her before and was certain she wasn't supposed to be on our friend's counter. I hurried to safety, not entirely sure if the cat was rabid or something. The moment I found out she was a stray that had been hanging around for awhile I knew it was meant to be. Our friends had sent her back out the street (she'd sneaked in through a hole in their screen) and so I went and searched for her. She casually sauntered into my path, I scooped her up, an the rest is history.
Aurora Dawn was literally my saving grace that summer. She was a companion, someone to look after and keep me entertained. She was very entertaining. She was such a dominate personality. She harassed Eric's roommate's cats to no end. Her favorite trick was to hide up under the kitchen table on a chair...and when they would walk beneath her she would drop down on top of them and scare them to death.
When I got a job in the fall she moved with me across the street to my own apartment. Every night I would hear the bell on her collar dinging as she ran to the door to greet me. I would lay on the floor to say hi and she would roll in my hair. I doted on her. I bought her all sorts of toys. Grass in a pot to eat. A back scratcher attached to the wall (filled with catnip!), brushes, combs, etc. We even splurged and bought her a travel carrier with the top-opening lid because she hated getting into the front door of a kennel. She had just as many presents under the Christmas tree as I did, I think :-)
When Eric and I got married we moved back to WI and she came with. I actually used to wonder how I would manage when she grew old and died because she meant so much to me. She was my steadfast companion. Eric's first job of our married life was not easy, and Aurora and I spent many late nights together. Her favorite place to sleep at our first house was on the back of our couch, but inside our curtains. She would squeak every single time we poked her through the curtain. We loved it.
I read once that a cat's greatest sign of trust was to fall asleep on her belly. Aurora showed us her belly constantly, whenever she wanted some attention. Once or twice, though, she actually took a snooze while laying on her back. It made me feel so good to know she trusted us that much.
Things changed when we moved to Green Bay and I got a full-time job. She was lonely so we got her a cat to keep her company. It actually did help, although Aurora never did seem to fully appreciate our effort.
Her status changed further once kids arrived. There were so many other things to do I rarely had time to give her the attention I wanted to. I do remember one night shortly after Hannah was born where I went into the bathroom and spent a long time combing her and loving her up. I missed our connection and she gobbled up whatever she got. She'd fallen from her pedestal of "baby" and had become "pet". I remember feeling pretty badly about that.
Aurora and Hannah bonded before too long, though, and Aurora adjusted to not being the only child. It didn't take too long for Hannah and Aurora to be friends.
Aurora was a huge part of our family. She was one of our girls' first words. Both girls referred to all forms of cats as "Rora". Hannah even said that when she saw her first lion in the zoo! Both grew from newborn age loving and cuddling with their friend and playmate.
Aurora loved to lick plastic bags. I don't know why...she just did. She loved to lay on Eric's briefcase. Or suitcase. Or backpack. Or in them. She'd lay on any paper or book that might be laying on the floor. She sought out every snuggly or sunny place and camped out there. Her favorite place to "chill" was on top of my computer, and from there she would inevitably migrate to my lap. Aurora came when she was called, knew her own name, and gave me the kind of love and adoration I could never deserve. She loved to sleep with me, and if that wasn't possible, she'd sleep with Hannah. Anywhere I was, she'd most likely be. Snuggled as close as she could get. She didn't purr easy...and usually only when I gave her attention. She loved chicken fingers. One of our favorite memories is of seeing her creep beneath our glass coffee table and slyly reach up with her paw to grab a chicken finger...as if we couldn't see her through the glass! She might occasionally be caught dipping her paw in a milk glass...She loved the outdoors and ran away more times than I can remember...but she always found her way back. Even though I worried myself sick while she was gone.
Aurora will be sorely missed. She died on November 1. She was only 8 years old. I thought I had many, many more years with her. I used to wonder how I would feel when she died (imagining it to be years from this day) and I have to say, nothing in my imaginings prepared me for this. There is just something missing. Something that has been there for so long that I'd taken it for granted.
Now that she's gone I miss her in a way I didn't think possible for a mere animal. I miss her like I lost my best friend. And so it is now in her death that I find myself returning to the feeling that we started off with...I lost someone I loved like my first "baby".
I'm actually one of those people who treats my pet like my baby.
Well...I used to...before I had my own babies.
Seven years ago in the summer of 2001 a very special pet entered my life. I was young and living in a strange city. I had moved to Philadelphia to be closer to my then-boyfriend Eric and was awkwardly living with his roommate's girlfriend. Being the introverted person I am, I rarely ventured far from his apartment or hers. Eric worked all day and I was basically on my own. I was pretty bored and very lonely. And then one day I walked into the downstairs apartment and there she was.
A white cat sitting on the counter staring me down with her penetrating blue gaze. I had never seen her before and was certain she wasn't supposed to be on our friend's counter. I hurried to safety, not entirely sure if the cat was rabid or something. The moment I found out she was a stray that had been hanging around for awhile I knew it was meant to be. Our friends had sent her back out the street (she'd sneaked in through a hole in their screen) and so I went and searched for her. She casually sauntered into my path, I scooped her up, an the rest is history.
Aurora Dawn was literally my saving grace that summer. She was a companion, someone to look after and keep me entertained. She was very entertaining. She was such a dominate personality. She harassed Eric's roommate's cats to no end. Her favorite trick was to hide up under the kitchen table on a chair...and when they would walk beneath her she would drop down on top of them and scare them to death.When I got a job in the fall she moved with me across the street to my own apartment. Every night I would hear the bell on her collar dinging as she ran to the door to greet me. I would lay on the floor to say hi and she would roll in my hair. I doted on her. I bought her all sorts of toys. Grass in a pot to eat. A back scratcher attached to the wall (filled with catnip!), brushes, combs, etc. We even splurged and bought her a travel carrier with the top-opening lid because she hated getting into the front door of a kennel. She had just as many presents under the Christmas tree as I did, I think :-)
When Eric and I got married we moved back to WI and she came with. I actually used to wonder how I would manage when she grew old and died because she meant so much to me. She was my steadfast companion. Eric's first job of our married life was not easy, and Aurora and I spent many late nights together. Her favorite place to sleep at our first house was on the back of our couch, but inside our curtains. She would squeak every single time we poked her through the curtain. We loved it.
I read once that a cat's greatest sign of trust was to fall asleep on her belly. Aurora showed us her belly constantly, whenever she wanted some attention. Once or twice, though, she actually took a snooze while laying on her back. It made me feel so good to know she trusted us that much.
Things changed when we moved to Green Bay and I got a full-time job. She was lonely so we got her a cat to keep her company. It actually did help, although Aurora never did seem to fully appreciate our effort.
Her status changed further once kids arrived. There were so many other things to do I rarely had time to give her the attention I wanted to. I do remember one night shortly after Hannah was born where I went into the bathroom and spent a long time combing her and loving her up. I missed our connection and she gobbled up whatever she got. She'd fallen from her pedestal of "baby" and had become "pet". I remember feeling pretty badly about that.
Aurora and Hannah bonded before too long, though, and Aurora adjusted to not being the only child. It didn't take too long for Hannah and Aurora to be friends.
Aurora was a huge part of our family. She was one of our girls' first words. Both girls referred to all forms of cats as "Rora". Hannah even said that when she saw her first lion in the zoo! Both grew from newborn age loving and cuddling with their friend and playmate.Aurora loved to lick plastic bags. I don't know why...she just did. She loved to lay on Eric's briefcase. Or suitcase. Or backpack. Or in them. She'd lay on any paper or book that might be laying on the floor. She sought out every snuggly or sunny place and camped out there. Her favorite place to "chill" was on top of my computer, and from there she would inevitably migrate to my lap. Aurora came when she was called, knew her own name, and gave me the kind of love and adoration I could never deserve. She loved to sleep with me, and if that wasn't possible, she'd sleep with Hannah. Anywhere I was, she'd most likely be. Snuggled as close as she could get. She didn't purr easy...and usually only when I gave her attention. She loved chicken fingers. One of our favorite memories is of seeing her creep beneath our glass coffee table and slyly reach up with her paw to grab a chicken finger...as if we couldn't see her through the glass! She might occasionally be caught dipping her paw in a milk glass...She loved the outdoors and ran away more times than I can remember...but she always found her way back. Even though I worried myself sick while she was gone.
Aurora will be sorely missed. She died on November 1. She was only 8 years old. I thought I had many, many more years with her. I used to wonder how I would feel when she died (imagining it to be years from this day) and I have to say, nothing in my imaginings prepared me for this. There is just something missing. Something that has been there for so long that I'd taken it for granted.Now that she's gone I miss her in a way I didn't think possible for a mere animal. I miss her like I lost my best friend. And so it is now in her death that I find myself returning to the feeling that we started off with...I lost someone I loved like my first "baby".
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