Happy 10th Birthday Lily!

This was a big one you said..."I'm now two digits Mom!!". Yes, you really are 10 years old! You have sprouted up like a weed this past year lily...I randomly will be looking at you and think 'Wow! She is getting so tall!". Despite your change in height, your personality remains the same...you make us laugh alot Lily! I know you get your inspiration for your story narratives from Calvin and Hobbs and it comes out in how you retell a story or a funny comment in a conversation. You love to make people laugh! You also like to be alone, to read and to journal or write stories. Kaitlyn just doesn't understand why (she is such an extrovert) but you somehow manage to manage your time well and play a ton with Kaitlyn but also sneak away for some reading/alone time. You are a friend to all Lily...not so much connected to one best friend, but you play with lots of different kids at school...but you do like having Esther H in your class and have had several play dates with her. Grade 4 was intimidating for you...especially with a teacher change mid-way through the year but you faced your fears, didn't quit and discovered that it was actually ok.
This year has been HUGE for you Lily...you have struggled with anxiety for many years...and it would often keep you from participating in fun things or being yourself in a group setting. On a recommendation from a friend of mine, we purchased a program designed to help kids find freedom from their fears. You launched into that program and never looked back...conquering your fears and anxieties that were holding you back. The other day you said to me, "Mom, I think I'm over that'. What a huge answer to prayer! I know that it may be a lifelong battle you have to face but now you have the tools to 'talk back' to that voice that is trying to create fear and worry where there is none! I am beyond proud of you Lily. You have shown such emotional maturity and intuitiveness as you have continued on this journey from fear to freedom. We will continue to pray about that for you.

Here are some things that I want to remember about you when you were 10:

You are 10 now!!!

-The pink blankie is going strong but your new thing is to fluff it into a circle shape on your pillow and lay your head down into it
-Your favorite book is Call of the Wild...but you also have a whole bunch of other favorites too!
-You love collecting little metal animals (you have a turtle from Egypt and a snake from Chad)
-You still gallop around like a horse but less often...claiming that your shoulders were starting to hurt (perhaps growing out of being able to do that?)
-You think school is a breeze...except for Math and Grammar (although you do well in those too)
-You are the LOUDEST person in the pool....the whole neighbourhood can hear you shriek!
-You are still so skinny minny...gotta fatten you up Lily!
-You love toast with butter and strawberry Jam, and you chose Lasagna for your birthday meal
-You have an old ipod of ours and you love wearing your comfy headphones (Christmas present!) and listening to calming music while going to sleep
-You LOVE to read before going to bed...it's always a struggle to get you to turn out your light!
-You enjoy horse back riding but I think you are just as happy playing around in the sand pile or visiting the baby turtles
-You know where to turn to when you are worried or stressed...you have some verses memorized that remind you to lean hard in God when life seems overwhelming or unfair.
-You love playing with Kaitlyn...she is your best friend. She knows you so well....you can be yourself with her and she gets you.
-You love spending one on one time with daddy or myself. One of your love languages is quality time so we try to make those individual hangout times happen regularly. Room dates are fun and low key...a special drink (tea or coke) and a plate of snacks (chips or cookies) and some games or coloring to do with some candles of course. I really do like that.
-You are counting down the days til school is over! Not that you don't like school....but you would rather homeschool and you just love being at home. One of your favorite things to do on a weekend is...nothing!! No going out, or entertaining...just playing, reading, eating, games etc. Nothing scheduled but a very relaxed pace. We try to make that happen but life gets busy...especially on the weekends when daddy is home.
-You chose to go to the Hilton this year for your birthday, to swim and have a meal by the pool and you brought your friend Esther with you. We had a GREAT day! It was hot as blazes so we were in the pool most of the day. Fun!
-We are bringing a cake to share with your friends at school after the school holidays....it's going to be a book cake (a stack of different colored books). Something you LOVE!

-You LOVED Egypt (the unlimited french fries and pop and your 6 course breakfasts each morning!) and can't wait to head back as soon as school gets out! I can't wait either!

Date with mom...quiche and hot chocolate!

-You play a lot more inside these days (the heat??) but are still up for a game of house, or puppy or a trampoline game or swimming or skipping or recently, riding your bike over a ramp you made! Evie just LOVES playing with you (so does Bethan...a girl living across the compound from us)....you are up for anything Lily.
-You enjoy writing poetry (you have a little book that you keep your poems in) and stories...your narrative is hilarious. Very Calvin and Hobbs esque. I wonder if you are going to write a book one day?
-You and Kaitlyn spend hours setting up your playmobil sets or building lego houses and then acting out the scene. I just love watching you create and imagine!
-You love friday night movie night...it has been consistently part of our week for several years now...a great way to start the weekend. You are usually up for anything...whether it's a cartoon or one with real-life actors.
-You are a chatterbox....at bedtime! As the lights are going out, then out comes all your stories and thoughts from the day...love hearing about them though but we need to account for this time and start your bedtime process sooner....not good to stay up til 9pm or later on a school night!
-You learned to play the piano last summer (the basics) and have recently been practising again. We are hoping to continue the lessons in the summer. You are good at it and enjoy hearing success as you play a song without stopping!
-We have a little notebook that we write little notes back and forth to each other when we feel like it. I always smile when I see the pink notebook on my pillow...

You LOVE to ride on Dad's motorcycle!

Animal lover...you adored these puppies at the horse farm.

Very Chadian of you...

The Birthday Party Crew!

Hilton swim up bar....you ordered a glass of ice! Haha!

We love you a lot Lily. You are your own person Lily...quirks and 'that's just Lily' moments. I can see how you have matured and grown, not only in your character but in your faith as well. We are blessed to walk beside you as you continue to figure out who you are and what plans God has for your life. You are full of energy (more so at bedtime??!!) and joy and laughter and fun follows you wherever you go. Keep on smiling Lily! xoxo

Happy very, very belated 4th Birthday Evie!!

It has taken me a while to put this post together...8 months to be exact...haha! Better late than never...

Evelinne Rose...is 4!!!! Wow!!! She has been practising for the last week how to hold up just 4 fingers (that thumb is tricky to hold down!) and scratching off a number on her birthday countdown calendar since early July!! Months of planning her birthday cake (rainbow theme) and talking about who she wants to invite and where she wants to go (the Hilton Hotel for a swim and some pool-side fries to eat). So, she is beyond excited that her birthday has finally arrived!
Kaitlyn and Lily decorated until way past their bedtime the night before and made the place look super fun (I managed to find some rainbow balloons at a store here and I had brought some streamers from Canada) complete with a nice arrangement of gifts with fun wrapping paper and our favourite colour (turquoise blue) gift bags with little treasures that Evie will like!
Evie is our baby...our little one who is growing up! Some days I tell her to stop growing up so fast and other days I wish she would just grow up!! :) We love that we have 3 girls and couldn't imagine our family without Evie. Here are some things that I want to remember about her at this age:

- Loves her blankie still (the tag is her favourite) and will bunch it up when in bed and squeeze it
- Has a slight obsession with me...wants me to do everything with her...including bedtime, sitting beside her at dinner, pushing her on the swing, reading her books, playing with her (and no one else will do most of the time)

The birthday girl and her spoils!

- She loves her squeezy pack and banana in bed routine with talking about good/bad of the day, praying and singing songs while I tickle her back...try to skip one of these things and she'll let you know!!
- She LOVES our cat whiskers and tries desperately to have him sit or sleep with her but he bolts as soon as he sees freedom...
-Evie learned how to ride a two wheeler again after a winter hiatus (when we were in Canada) and enjoyed pedalling like crazy around the compound....a persistent flat tire as hampered her biking joy but she is looking forward to riding again when we can locate a new inner tube (can't find that size in chad!!)

Pink mashed potatoes with a candle that won't blow out!

-Evie loves coke (I blame that on Phil!!), noodles, whole carrots, pink mashed potatoes (ever since we had that for valentines day...she has had a slight obsession!) and serving herself at the table
- As soon as she sees me in the kitchen she wants to 'help' (aka lick whatever yummy thing I am making)...her favourite thing to make with me are banana mini muffins and she is getting good at spooning the batter into the muffin tin
-She loves her friends here in Chad...Selina, Becca, Bethan, and Karis to name a few.

Evie with her favorite guy...and a chameleon.

-Evie loves playing house, barbies, playmobil, calico critters...and always wants me to play and make the characters 'talk'. Funny thing is, when I make them say things she says 'No! Don't say that...say this!....). I can never get it right apparently! :)
- She is my grocery shopping buddy and knows how to milk the system to get a free candy from the shop owners...she just stands on her tip toes, peers over the counter and stares at the candy box! Works like a charm!! Of course her cuteness helps her succeed too!
-Evie loves getting a 'ssant' (croissant) at the French bakery

Evie and her friend Merilee

-Hours upon hours of swinging on the swing....guess who is pushing her? :)
- Evie loves playing with her sisters...they are good sports and try to include her in their more sophisticated play...she does well (some of the time)
-Evie knows what she wants and doesn't like to hear the word 'No'. We are working on that one. :)
-Her favourite books that we read over and over are: Curious George goes to the hospital, Harry the dirty dog, Aunt Nina and her Nieces, Alfie gets in first, and Corduroy to name a few.
-She loves to wear dresses and skirts and when she wears shorts she says 'Mom, I look like a boy!" (women and girls don't wear shorts here so she equates them with men!)
-She gets dressed herself, and wants to do everything herself....brush her hair, teeth, and pour her own drinks, serve herself at dinner....all good practise...but with sometimes disastrous results (I don't like cleaning up messes!!!!)
-She loves to carry around a little notebook at draw "E's" or more recently, people (the kind that have their arms and legs coming out of their head...so cute!!)

Evie is full of life and she wants to be heard and in the middle of whatever is going on. We love her to bits and think she is super cute...which is good because she, more than Kaitlyn or Lily, has tried our patience and tested our resolve as parents. She is strong-willed and we have to daily remind her of 'who is in charge'....some days she thinks she is in charge! It has been encouraging to see her slowly learn what we expect of her and begin to make good choices in those moments. Some days we wonder if any of it is sinking in...but other days it all clicks and goes well. Lots to pray about...

Evie, I love you! I love your sweet around the neck hugs and the way you like to hold my hand when you go to sleep. I love that you want to sit beside me, play with me...do everything just with me (even if I sometimes don't appreciate it in the moment). I love your silliness when you try to be funny and you wrinkle up your nose and move your lips to the side...You are precious to me. We were just reading today in Psalm 139 :13-14

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well."

And we are so thankful that God made you just the way you are...and that He gave you to us. We love our Miss Evelinne Rose. Happy 4th!

Love Mom.

Practising to be a busy mom!

Friends are sooooo important to you!

Going for a walk...to buy some gum from the corner store

Your bestie....Selina

Happy (belated) 3rd Birthday Evie!

My baby isn't really a baby anymore....of course she will always be the baby of the family...but she is growing up in so many ways! We love her to bits...despite her toddler antics...she is a vibrant personality who knows exactly what she wants and most of the time wants to do everything by herself! Independent, sweet, silly, and with a fiery temper...it's hard to imagine our family without her.

Here are some things we want to remember about Evie at this age:

- Evie loves her plethora of muslin blankets...doesn't matter which one she takes to bed...as long as it has a tag that she can crunch up and stuff her face in!
- Evie loves the idea of having friends...and will often call someone she just met her best "fwiend"...she calls her cousins and her aunts and her grandma her best 'fwiends' too!
-She churns out cards to all those she loves on a daily basis..and has an uncanny 6th sense of knowing when I have 'purged' some of these cards she has made...haha

Our little Peppa!

- Evie loves to pretend to go to the splash park with her babies and of course me! She loves ordering me around like she's the mom...my favourite part is when she tucks me into bed for a nap as part of the game...a little relaxing time for me! :)
-She has recently learned how to ride a two wheeler bike without training wheels! She can't stop or start but can go as long as she wants without falling! So early for her to know how to do that!
- Evie says all words that start with 's' as the sound of 'f'....for example....splash pad is 'fwash pad'...or swimming is said 'fwimming'...or special is said 'feshial'. Soooo cute!!
- Evie is slowly (very slowly!!) learning that pinching is really hurtful and not kind to do to her sisters (mainly Lily for some reason...poor Lily!) or to anyone! And she is working on saying 'STOP' to her hands before they hurt others. This has been a big challenge for her (and us) but we have been encouraged as of late with her progress towards pinching less and using her words more often! Oh Evie!!
- She LOVES watching Peppa Pig...giggles at all the funny things Peppa and George do...and even requested a Peppa Pig cake for her 3rd birthday (which Phil delivered with amazing skill!!)
- She adores her sisters and from the moment her feet hit the floor in the morning she is asking 'where are the girls?'....much to their dismay sometimes but in general they are really good with Evie and incorporate her nicely (until she pinches them! ahhhh!!!) into their play.

Phil's cake masterpiece...Peppa Pig!

- Lily is especially playful with Evie and will often play the role as Evie's pet cat...(Lily LOVES this as most days she would prefer to be an animal anyways) where as Kaitlyn has naturally taken on more of a mothering role with Evie (first born!)
- Evie's bedtime routine is fairly set (if she goes to bed late...there is no skipping over things!) and she enjoys books, praying, singing and tickles. She usually is asleep within the first 3 songs. Sometimes she will join in the singing (twinkle twinkle) or request a song or sing to me...very sweet. Her faves have been Zacheous was a wee little man, Skinamarinky dinky-dink, Jesus loves me, and This little light of mine to name a few...I just love (and try to cherish) those still, quiet moments right before she falls asleep with her heavy eyelids and her perfect, sweet, chubby face close to mine...happy and safe and content right in that moment with me...I just love it....a great way to end some of those more 'trying' days! :)

- Often Evie will want to be within 3 feet of me...whether I'm going to the bathroom, cooking, reading to the girls, going upstairs to get something....Evie will want to come with me....
- Evie really enjoys playing 'mom' to her baby doll and will often take her for a walk, or put her to sleep or feed her or have a tea party with her....and wants me to be there for all that of course! :)
- Evie really likes 'cow cheese' (the laughing cow cheese), waffles (cold!), coke (a VERY special and rare treat for her), any kind of gum or candy (lollipops are always a hit with Evie!), frozen bananas and blueberries, strawberry smoothies, tea with too much sugar, and for some bizarre reason...Evie doesn't really enjoy Ketchup that much (Whaaaaaat???Whose daughter is she?)

My sweet girl

-Evie is now in a 'big girl' bed and even though she looks so tiny in this big bed, she is growing up so fast and was totally ready for the upgrade from the crib
 - Evie ditched diapers in the daytime in the spring this year...when she was about 2.5 years old...she was heavily influenced by her older sisters and one day she decided that she wanted to go pee in the big toilet and that was that....(unlike the woes we had with one of our other kids where I had to carry around a potty with me for about 6 months while we potty trained her!!) She still wears diapers at night but recently has been waking up with a dry diaper so who knows....we may be totally out of the world of diapers sooner than we think!!
-Evie attends a little preschool, run through our church...two mornings a week..she had her first day last week and she did well! We are hoping she continues to enjoy going as it gives her a chance to have 'her thing' while I homeschool the other girls.

Evie, running like the wind,
hair flowing wild, arms joyfully
swinging in barefoot simplicity.
Love it.

Evie has been through a lot of change in her short little life thus far....back and forth to Chad, moving 4 times since last November (within Canada)...hearing about this 'Chad' place but not really remembering it, yet we talk about it often and our 'home' there. She has struggled with the instability and the many transitions we have been through this past year but yet, is remarkably happy and full of confidence within our family...which has been so good to see. We are so thankful for her spunky personality, her sweet and funny words and all the ways she adds to our family life!
We pray that as each day passes, she would learn more and more about what it means to be kind and loving to others, learn to use her words rather than her fists, learn to obey with a joyful heart and to be a kind and thoughtful friend and sister. We pray that she would learn more about the One who loves her and made her and has a plan for her life...and we pray that she would have a huge desire to submit to His great purpose for her life and that she would grow in wisdom and knowledge of her Creator.

We absolutely LOVE Evie and love that she is a part of our family...for better or for worse....during 3 year old tantrums or those 3 year old cute moments...we will still love her, now and always! :)

Kaitlyn turns 8

I am wondering when I will stop being surprised by my kids' birthdays....I know each year will add a number onto their age but I always feel a bit shocked when I realize how fast they are growing up. I love, love, love that I can be a part of their lives, their memories and celebrate their birthdays with them....

My 8 year old Beauty

Kaitlyn has seen a lot of changes in her 8 years....lots of hello's and good-bye's, different cultures, being far from family, seeing the world.....she just takes it all in stride....like she said to her Gramma a while back...."I'm having my 8th birthday in Morocco"....what 8 year old has an international birthday and casually throws that into a conversation??? We are blessed with such an adaptable girl....

Here are some of the things that we want to remember about Kaitlyn this past year.....

- She was desperate to lose a tooth, and finally, when she was 7.5 years old, 1 tooth fell out, followed by 2 more....but that's it so far!!! She doesn't seem too bothered by it, even when her friends have lost 8+ teeth.

- Kaitlyn is such an artist/creative person.....she doesn't get any of that from me....she loves crafting, and making elaborate forts with sheets, and designing dresses out of scarves or bedsheets and a belt, painting her nails, creating picture books, making cards....she has an eye for fashion and art....it's gonna be cool to see where that takes her as she grows up.

Always up for trying out new things....like riding a camel!

- Kaitlyn has a capri leggings obsession....good thing we stocked up from Canada....

- Kaitlyn loves to read which is awesome to see....hope that never ends.

- Kaitlyn loves anything fancy.

- Kaitlyn has a sweet tooth...unfortunately this doesn't bring out the best of her character as she attempts to gratify her cravings without permission....lots of work done and to be done on that one! It's all just chances to shape her character....one candy-sneaking episode at a time! :)

Loves her little sister!

- There was a period of time where Kaitlyn was obsessed with a purple sparkly belt that she got for her 7th birthday....she wore it cinched tight around her waist every day....I'm talking with dresses, sporty shirts, tank tops, t-shirts.....the purple belt was always there! That is....until it got lost.

- Kaitlyn enjoys drinking tea out of a travel mug....even if she's just around the house.....I think she thinks it's a grown-up thing to do....

- Kaitlyn loves her friends and loves being with them....I always say to her: "If I was 8, I would want to be your friend!"....

- At one point, Kaitlyn's favorite hairstyle was half of her hair up in a ponytail and the other half, hanging loose.....

- Kaitlyn is a great helper with Evie, entertaining her when I need an extra minute to finish something, reading her books, walking with her.....she loves to hug and kiss Evie (much to Evie's dismay....not the most touchy feely kid). Kaitlyn is going to be a fun Aunt and an awesome Mom.

A girl with a sweet tooth...

- Kaitlyn is great at tidying....everything might not be back in the right place....but the floor sure looks spotless! :)

- Kaitlyn loves to talk on skype with her cousins.....we'll call them up and then just leave the kids to chat away...often times they'll talk for an hour! Ok, talking, maybe not, but giggling and having fun....yes!

- Kaitlyn loves tacos, spaghetti, chicken pot pie, jello, peaches and plums (can't get those in Chad so she stocked up in Morocco.....3-4 per day!!), chicken noodle soup and apple sauce to name a few of her favorite foods.

- Kaitlyn really wants to get her ears pierced and I would let her but I told her that when she lets me near her scrapes and injuries to clean them and bandage them without screaming at the top of her lungs and refusing.....ya....THEN she can get her ears pierced. I foresee major ear infections and her not letting me treat them....and so we wait a couple more years.

- Kaitlyn is an expert rainbow loomer (in my books)....she can whip up a bracelet in no time!

- She loves to paint her nails....never just 1 color....

 Blue is her color of choice!

- Kaitlyn loves art, gym, and music....but math isn't her favorite...wonder where she gets that from?

- She is a great big sister to Lily, most of the time....besides the normal sibling squabbles, they get along great and play really well together....they both have great imaginations and can personify any object and make a game of it....love seeing that creativity and sister love!

'Happy Birdsday' cake at a restaurant in Morocco....
So sweet of them to try! :)

- Kaitlyn has made her first, real best friend here in Chad.....Anna.....it has been cool to see her with such a close and special friend....it's going to be hard to say good-bye in December when Anna's family leaves.....praying that Kaitlyn will adjust and make another best friend here in Chad.

- Kaitlyn has a pen pal named Zoe....

- Kaitlyn has been praying that Gramma would come to visit for about 6 months now.....persistence pays off.....Lord willing, she's coming in December!

May your dreams come true.....

- Kaitlyn loves to be snuggled with, to chat at the end of the day, to hear stories about when she was little or when I was little and she likes to be tickled on her face before sleeping.

Horseback riding on the beach in Morocco....one of the things
we did on her birthday.

- It has been cool to see Kaitlyn grow in her knowledge of what being a Christian is really all about, to see her strive to do what's right, to acknowledge (sometimes with prompting) when she is wrong and to live out her faith. Reading her devotional book before bed, praying with the family, reading scripture and talking about it with us, thinking about what it all means (although she is a people pleaser and often tries to give 'Sunday school' answers....but we are working on that--I want her to really think about it, not just give the answer she thinks we want to hear) and how that applies to her life, even at 8.....I hope and pray this is all laying a solid foundation built on Christ's forgiveness and hope, grace and purpose....so that when she is older and on her own, she will have a living faith and confidence in her Savior. That's all that truly matters.

Anna and Kaitlyn....BFF

- Kaitlyn is off to a great start in 3rd grade! Her teacher's name is Miss M and sounds fun and sweet.

We love you Kaitlyn, and are so proud of you. You are a good friend, sister, and daughter and we can't wait to see what this year holds for you.....praying for you....always.

Love,

Mom

Evelinne Rose turns 1

In the blink of an eye, Evie is 1. I don't know if I have even gotten used to the idea that we have a baby again in the family! :) Wow....that first year just flew by. What a joy it has been to have another little girl, to welcome a new little life, and to experience all the 'firsts' again.....smiling, sitting up, crawling, walking, eating new foods, learning how to wave hello and goodbye, and seeing her adorable personality start to show....Evie is a gift.
Kaitlyn and Lily adore her, and Phil and I love her a ton....she brings lots of giggles and smiles to our family.
Evie has been a fairly easy baby....she has always slept well, fed well, and is content most of the time....she really only fusses if she is sleepy, hungry or wanting to go outside and can't!
Even though at the age of 1, Evie is just beginning to show who she is, it has been fun to see. Here are some of the things that we want to remember about her:

Taking a break from exploring

- Evie's two big front teeth are A-dorable! She loves to grin with her top and bottom teeth together...so cute.

- When Evie finds a bucket/bowl/cup....she pretends to stir with a spoon or fork or whatever she can find that will do the job. She does the same thing when she eats her yogurt by herself....what a smart girl!

- Evie has her cupboard....she knows how to open it, and then proceeds to empty if out completely, all over the kitchen floor....literally throwing things behind her and reaching for the next....hence....the plastic dishes! Lately, Evie prefers to take a plate or bowl in 1 hand and a utensil in the other hand and walk around the house....so we find plastic dishes and cutlery scattered throughout the house at the end of the day.

Daddy's girl

- Evie loves to be wherever the girls are playing and most times the girls love her with them....but every so often I hear screams of "E-VIEEEEEEE" when she has entered their room and started dismantling their playmobil set up or whatever else they are playing in their room. We are in the process of teaching Kaitlyn and Lily to distract Evie with a toy, or to gently take her out of their room, give her a toy to play with, and then close the door if they really don't want anything to be disturbed. The girls are pretty good about doing that.....but it's still a work in progress. Can't wait for the day til Evie can play right alongside of Kaitlyn and Lily without destroying everything! :)

Peek-a-boo....and a great artsy shot by Phil!

- Evie can wave Hi and Goodbye, and she gives open-mouthed kisses (slobbery but we don't care....it is so precious!)

-She knows how to sign 'all done', 'bath' and 'kitty' but we are working on getting her to sign consistently.....once she gets that one, we will introduce more signs. Sooo adorable to watch her communicate and be so pleased with herself!

- Evie understands the words 'food, sleep, water, outside, birdie, daddy, mommy, Kaitlyn, Lily, hi, bye, help, hot, no, don't touch, dirty'.....and maybe more? Hard to tell at this age just how much she understands but for those words, we have seen her respond appropriately, so we assume she knows what they mean.

- Evie took her first long walk (20 steps) while we were in Morocco and has now left crawling behind,  preferring to walk everywhere! We welcomed this accomplishment as it meant getting her up off of the 'hard to keep clean' sandy floors in our house.

Soooo wanting to touch the candle....

- When the girls dig holes in the sand, Evie always crawls over and backs up towards them with her leg out, trying to fit into the hole....haha.

- Evie eats alot! She loves eggs (hard boiled or scrambled), toast, any fruit, and she usually eats what we eat.....

- Evie LOVES cats, and always wants to pet them and kiss them, much to her annoyance, they never let her! :)

- When Evie is falling asleep, she loves to feel the tag on her blankie (whatever muslin blanket we have for that day....she isn't attached to one specific one), and when she's sleepy, she likes to suck on the tag. Just her little thing she does before bed.

Big smiles after tasting her cupcake....love those teeth!

- Putting Evie to sleep is the ONLY time that girl stays still! I cherish those snuggly moments.

- Evie loves to swing (it's in her genes!)

-Evie loves being outside and has figured out how to open the front screen door!! The handle is low enough for her to reach....trouble!

-Evie LOVES her daddy and when he gets home from work I say....'lets go see daddy' she gets all excited and points to outside and reaches for him with big smiles and hugs.

Those are just some of the cute and memorable things about Evie. We love that she is part of our family and can't wait to see what adventures this next year holds for her.

I love this girl!

Lilykins Turns 6

Lilykins

I know it is such a cliche thing to say but....I still can't believe Lily is already 6! Wow! When we arrived in Chad, she was a cute, little, round baby-faced girl.....and now when I look at her she isn't that baby girl any more. Lily is tall, with skinny minny arms (I always joke that I could snap her like a twig!) and legs that fly around faster than any other 6 year old I know. She has seen so much and lived so differently than most 6 year olds....but she is thriving here in Chad and that makes this mama's heart glow. Lily is super independent (has been since birth I think) and is very sure of herself and completely content to be alone....but also loves playing with her friends. God has blessed her with a 4 year old boy named Nathan who thinks along the same lines as Lily in his creative play and those two can be off for hours, playing Tigers or baby horsey or making mud pies. We are thankful for that friendship. She also loves playing with Kaitlyn....anything from house, to barbies, to playmobil, to whatever their imaginations can come up with and we are thankful for their friendship too. So, it is on this day that we celebrate and give thanks to God for giving us sweet Lily.....and our prayer for her is that she would grow in Godly wisdom, and that she would love Him and serve Him with her whole heart for the rest of her life. Ultimately, nothing else matters and everything else will fall into place. Can't wait to see what He has in store for her....
As per tradition, here are some things that I don't want to forget about Lily at this age....

Classic candy on the spoon game

-You are a creature of habit and each night you plant 6 kisses on our faces in various spots and as per your schedule, we snuggle with you every other night and end that time with tickling on your back first, your face next and your neck last. You love routine! And to be honest, we love snuggle time too....where we chat about the good and not so good parts of the day, pray about those, and then chat about whatever else is on your mind.....so special.
-Recently you have been waking up, getting totally gussied up (ie: fancy dress, shoes, hair done, jewellery on) before breakfast (which is around 6:30am on a school day!)...but the thing is that we aren't allowed to see you before you are totally ready....or a meltdown will ensue---I guess you like the element of surprise! Phil said he was the same way as a kid....Hmm.....his genes....not mine! :)

-You still love to swing in the baby swing (now you have to cross your legs underneath you or your feet will hit the fence behind the swing set) and you often say while swinging: 'Soooo, what do you want to talk about?".

The compound kids/party crew

-Your favorite thing to bake is banana muffins with a cinnamon sugar topping and your favorite thing to cook is scrambled eggs because you can do it yourself.....from the egg cracking to the spatula stirring, you have it down pat!
-You love homeschool and your favorite part is science (you recently grew a bean plant from a kidney bean and some wet paper towel which amazed you!), and you really like the poem book too.
-You love to color.....and will actually finish coloring books from start to finish! I always colored random pictures and often some would be half done etc....nope...not you....every page complete, in order too!

Mmmm....Jasmine cake!

-You love to make Evie (and everyone else) laugh.....and she does! Evie laughed her first belly laugh when you were doing something funny.
-You are an animal lover Lily, and you are always asking me for a glass jar to put whatever you just caught into it....today was a moth, the other day was a dead chameleon.....yuck....but you just love animals....including our cats Whiskers and Ginger.....and you have said more than once that you want to be an animal Doctor....so....we'll just have to wait and see. (you also said you want to be a person who helps people ride bikes....I guess you can have 2 jobs at once)
-When we returned to Chad with Evie, you had to have your own baby (doll) to change, feed, carry around....I remember videoing you one day changing your baby's diaper....it seriously took 5 minutes....you were very thorough and I have no doubt that one day, when you have a real baby....you will know exactly how to change his/her diaper!
-You learned to ride your 2 wheeler bike after trying 4 different times! You are amazing!!! No scraped knees or major accidents....you just peddled and wobbled and kept on going with your bike helmet sitting crooked on your little head and a big grin on your face. I think those are some of the most special moments....seeing you accomplish something and feel on top of the world!

Another Philip Henderson masterpiece....Princess Jasmine Cake!

-You are an 'expectations girl'....just like me...and lately hearing the word 'no' has sent you into a tizzy....I know that goes hand in hand with wanting to be independent, and I pray that God will use your fierce independence for good one day.....but for now....we are working on obeying with a "Yes mom!" and a joyful heart to go along with that. Some days are great, others are challenging.....but we are working on it together.....often times I need a reminder to have a joyful heart too!
-You LOVE jumping on the trampoline with Daddy....the poor guy barely gets in the door from an exhausting long day of flying before you yell "DADDY....do you want to jump on the trampoline with me???".....most often he'll drop his bags and jump for a while....during which time he'll make up fun games that you want to play over and over again
-You are a book lover Lily, and will get a stack of books, park yourself on the couch and say "Mom, can you read me some books?".....it has been a challenge with Evie as all she wants to do is eat the books (!) but we do our best to distract her so we can read some of your selection for that day. You have a book chart that records all the books we've read each day.....just for the fun of looking back on it and seeing just how much we've read!

The 'spread'

-You love oreo cookies and so for your birthday we made oreo ice cream, complete with an oreo on top...you had no idea the two could be combined like that!!
-Your favorite meal is chicken pot pie, your favorite veggie is green beans and mashed potatoes and you think it is the most special treat in the world to have your own glass bottle of coke (rare treat!)
-You keep a plethora of things at the end of your bed....coloring supplies, stuffies, flashlight, barbies....so you'll have a variety of things to do during 'flashlight time'---the 10 minutes before bed where the lights are out but you can do a quiet activity to unwind

Kaitlyn about to sample the goods

This year holds a huge change again for you Lily....you will be going to school (not at home!)....and I know you have been struggling with this idea for a while now....even today when we were snuggling, you were telling me some of your worries and fears about going to school.....things like being teased, not knowing an answer, maybe not wanting to sing during music somedays.....I love when you open up your heart to me and we can talk about it and then pray about it.....giving it all to God for him to replace our fears and worries with His peace....I'm sure we'll have many more chats like that one before school begins for you, but hopefully over that time, you will feel less and less worried and more and more excited to start this new adventure called GRADE 1!!!

Well Lilykins, another letter added to the precious years of birthday letters from me to you.....one day you are going to read these and laugh, cry, wonder, understand, remember and cherish all these memories that we have of you. You are loved Lily.

Love,

Mama