Happy 8th Lily (slightly...well more than slightly belated!)

Lily. You are a giggly, lovely, beautiful girl. Our girl. You have grown up so much...in so many ways...inside and out. You love to scream and laugh and run like the wind. Your voice is loud (and high pitched!) and full of joy (most of the time)...usually excitedly recounting a funny thing that happened or making up some funny word to laugh at. Lily, your toothy smile and contagious laughter bring joy to our family....we love you!

These are some things that you are into these days:

- You still need to have your blankie with you when you sleep (it is surprisingly in tact considering it's age and amount of use it gets...long may that last! We don't have a back-up!)
- You refuse to cut your hair and want to grow it super long....like Tangled (we'll see about that...)
- You are obsessed with reading...anytime, anywhere, all day if you could...we love it....the library is THE highlight of the week when you can choose more adventures to read.

Lily and her book(s)

- Some of your favourite foods are: Corn pops cereal (a rare treat in our house), green beans with lots of butter on them, mashed potatoes (or any kind of potato for that matter), cucumbers and cheese (mini sandwiches), chicken tettrazini, salt and vinegar chips, milk (litres of it!!), and butter (according to you..it's a food group!) to name a few.
- You are meticulous at brushing your teeth, washing your hands brushing your hair...and prefer to wear your hair up in a braid or a ponytail...probably so it doesn't get in your face when you are running at top speed (you run often)
- You are a skinny minny girl...I always say as I hold her dainty wrist, "Lil, I could break you like a twig!" (just for fun) and you smile your toothy grin at me and giggle.
- Evie has a current obsession of you...she always asks 'Where is Lily? I want to pay (play) with her?' and you are so good about including her in your games (as is Kaitlyn)...but there are times when you have had enough and I will find you hiding...trying to get some alone time from Evie! :)
- You have several friends (Mackenzie and Noah) who you love to play with (and gallop with) but you have to be in the right mood to put down your book or want to go out...you love to be home Lily.
- You have perfected the skill of galloping like a horse (on all fours) and have recently added jumping over obstacles on all fours as well...very impressive...just not when we are at a person's house whom we don't really know that well...perhaps don't gallop around their living room??!!
- You and Kaitlyn are best friends...you get each other, you play well with each other and have been there for each other through a lot of transition and changes over the years. I love how close you two are in age and friendship.

Lily would love to be a horse! 

- You were made for homeschooling....self-driven, independent, curious and you have a desire to learn new things...thanks for putting your head down and getting it done (most days) without too much motivation from me. That kind of work ethic is going to take you far one day Lily. Proud of you!
-For the first time ever, you had a real paying job....a newspaper route! You shared it with Kaitlyn (and Evie, kind of). Every week you would put the flyers into the papers and then deliver the newspapers to 77 houses in our area. Lots of work but you didn't complain and ran most of the route...rain or shine (it seemed like mostly rain!). We were proud of your hard work Lily!
- You love to run and you run like the wind, but you intensely dislike chasing games.
- You will often draw pictures or write notes to people whether it's grandma or me or Evie or Daddy etc....lots of pictures and notes are created from your hand Lily...you love words...whether you are reading them or writing them. Love it!
- You aren't really that into fashion and will often choose the item of clothing that is at the top of your drawer...much to Kaitlyn's chagrin who will sometimes intervene and 'set you right'...you don't seem to mind (most of the time) and when you do try, you will often use Kaitlyn as a model for how you want to dress. Little sister looking up to big sister...cute! And of course, Kaitlyn LOVES that!
-You still want to be tucked in each night and have a hug and a kiss goodnight....long may that last! I'll take it as I know that won't always be the case.
- You started playing recorder this year and have caught on quickly! I just bought you a new book so hopefully we can continue to learn how to read and play music!
- Your dream came true this year when you were able to take horse-back riding lessons...your little pony Swiper was a good little guy and you were loving life up on his back! Animals are and I'm sure will forever be a passion of yours...your heart is sensitive and compassionate towards animals and you would love to have a pet of your own (i.e: A dog...to which your mean mom has said 'No'....but you can get one when you move out!!)...You do have 2 cats but Whiskers and Fluffy are back in Chad. Hang on a little while longer and you'll be reunited again!

Our Lily

 - You have handled major change with surprising ease Lily...heading back to Chad last Oct only to return without Daddy two weeks later...living in Nana and Grampa's house for two months while we waiting for Dad to come home, moving to Grandma's house for Christmas then into another house to rent a month later...then moving again 6 months later to a house we bought (yay!)...homeschooling throughout and not knowing for sure how long we'd be back in Canada for (we still don't really know). We had lots of chats about the craziness of it all and how unstable everything felt and how stress and discontentment can steal your joy...you saw me struggle but you knew where I drew my strength and assurance from...we lived it out Lily...cuz we had to if we wanted to make it in this crazy life of uncertainty and change. We knew that we could count on God, who never changes and is always there and is totally in control. It was very cool to see and hear you piece that all together and I know it was God who calmed your spirit in the midst of all of that craziness.

Well Lily, you are a joy to us and we love you...quirks and all...you are growing in so many ways and we love that you are in our family.

Happy 8th Birthday Lily!

Love and hugs,

Mom

PS. We surprised you with a Minecraft cake (you were going through a Minecraft obsession at the time) complete with blue jello for the water, chocolate cake for the dirt and green icing for the grass...with some fun Minecraft toppers like TNT and Steve! Then for your actual birthday party (of course we saved it for when we were at the Soontiens farm - cousins - and we had some games and a fun treasure hunt/map game where the prize was BB8 cupcakes...another love of yours! You loved having 2 parties!! Some of the presents you received were: a real bow and arrow, a beanie boo fox, a reading light, and a temporary tattoo marker kit to name a few. All in all, a great birthday!

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

Sweet Lily turns 3

How can it be that my little Lily is 3 years old now? The older I get, the faster time goes....somedays that is welcome, other days I just want to hit pause for a while. As I was reflecting back on the 3 precious years God has given us with Lily, there were so many moments and memories I cherish....and some I could handle forgetting....we have loved having 2 sweet girls who love eachother so much and are best friends.....so here are some things about Lily that I want to remember forever.....

-Lily is obsessed with her pink 'bankie' and her mama kitty, her kitty has been mailed across Canada several times (different directions) as we have forgot kitty at various locations....and it still lives on!
-She is fiercely independent....("no ME do it!!").....if I do up her zipper for her, she will undo it, only to try to zip it up herself, only then to ask me for some help....the key is that SHE is the one who asks for help....it cannot be given without her approval :)...frustrating at times, but she is a fighter and doesn't give up easily
-She does this funny inchworm motion in bed at night when I am singing her to sleep
-Lily has a voice that can pierce eardrums....but it is sooooo cute when she says words that make her adorable lisp stand out......I sing the wheels on the bus just to hear the "mommies on the bus say sh, sh, sh"
-Lily loves those 'one step shy of plastic' cheese slices and enjoys getting them from the fridge herself even more....I have bought them while here in the states cuz cheese is beyond cheap down here!
-Current songs that lily sings ALL THE TIME is "this old man, he played one, he played knick knack on my door" (as lily sings), and "this is the day, this is the day that the Lord has made, that the Lord has made".....all at the top of her lungs!
-Current favorite book: 'Harry by the Sea', as well as 'Frog and Toad Together'
-She likes wearing a 'slip' in her hair (clip) and nothing else....no pony tail, no braids
-Lily is not concerned about what she wears, unlike her big sister Kaitlyn who has about 15 outfit changes during the day
-Lily's smile is contagious as her legs fly around and around on her little tricycle, her hair blowing in the wind of her speed
-Lily loves to read books, and I love to peek in her room during quiet time and see her little feet sticking out from under a book on her lap
-She loves to color, and is very set on staying inside the lines, and she proudly shows Kaitlyn when she thinks she's done a good job at that...Kaitlyn being such a good big sister always says "good job lily!"
-If lily could live on a swing, she would.....I think I've spent half my time as a mother pushing someone on a swing, hay, at least we are outside!
-She is a bit unsure about leaving mom and dad on sundays for sunday school, and now that we have been travelling so much this past year, lily has mostly chosen to stay with us in church, which is totally fine....she eats a snack, colors and reads books quietly....hoping she will have the courage to be without us one day.... and am hoping that all this transition hasn't scarred her for life as far as consistency and security
-She loves to watch the Berenstain bears episodes
-Lily is scared of the cat 'lucifer' in cinderella
-Food obsessions: eggs (scrambled or hard boiled)
-Her shoes somehow always end up on the wrong feet....
-Lily loves to create mustaches....with her smoothie, peanut butter, mashed potatoes....and then wants me to take a picture of her so she can see it :)
-She asks often for "stories from your mouth" before bed (which is a story that we make up for her)

Some Birthday Highlights and Wishes....
-You loved your 'swiper' birthday cake (one day you'll realize how many HOURS your dad spent on that cake!!!) and the swiper picture daddy drew for you

Phil's creation.....he is amazing!! Mine would've been a stick
figure with a tail and teeth! :)

-You had a blast with the kids in the 'gunny sac' race, the spoon race and hot potato, and had a huge smile on your face as you ran around the block with the kids, boots on the wrong feet, running like the wind
-Now that you have a little space of your own (your new play tent!), i wonder if you'll stay in your room for quiet time?
-Your prayers to Jesus are always so sincere, and I hope you know how much He loves to hear from you and cares about what you care about......top 3 things to be thankful for this past night for you were: a nice warm bed, your blankie, and your kitty
-I cannot wait to see the plans God has for you Lily.....but this I do know....that if you love Him with your whole heart and serve Him with your life.....you will have lived.....that is my #1 desire for you Lily. This will be my prayer for you for many years......

A quiet place that's just for Lily

So excited about her presents!

New markers from Gramma!

Lily's favorite breakfast.....EGGS!

Perfect for the girls....

The Party Crew

Attempting a 3 legged race.....

No potato sacks, so garbage bags will have to do!

Craft time....color your own stickers

Waiting for the cake....

Sweet Lily in her tent with blue lips from her lollipop

Having fun with her sister

To my sweet Lily, I love you more than words can say, I am so proud of the little girl you are becoming, and the sister that you are to Kaitlyn. I thank God that He made you part of our little family.....I hope and pray that I can be the kind of mama that you look up to, the kind of Christian example that is so important in your life. I hope you are bold in your faith, courageous, resilient, loyal, determined, gentle, a defender, empathetic, loving, and selfless....the kind of girl/woman that God wants you to be.
Love you peanut.

Mama