Cute Saying of the Day

Lydia: (pointing to a penguin in her book) I YIKE dis ting!

Yike?

I think I "yike" you, Miss Lolly!

Sweet Girlies

The other day I came across this forgotten picture while browsing for something else, and I had to share it because it made me smile. Aren't they cute? I think it epitomizes all that I'm loving about the girlies right now.

I love their complete and unabashed passion for dressing up. No matter what time of day or night, no matter where we happen to be or are getting ready to be, someone is always fixed up in some type of costume, draped with jewelry, or sporting a stylish hat. They haven't learned to be self conscious yet and so feel free to indulge any little fashion whim their hearts' may desire. Lydia, a few weeks ago, wore a red leather miniskirt and the top from a Snow White costume outside to play for five days straight!

And I love that they do it together. Lydia has finally grown up enough to be a true playmate for Iris. It is music to my ears to hear the words, "Lydia! Let's go play!" I love to peek at them and listen when they are together in the basement living out some scenario they've created between the two of them. I love to hear their wild shrieks of joy from whatever game they're playing in our backyard wafting in through the open windows of our house.

How lovely it is to watch the bond of sisterhood deepen and grow! Have I mentioned before how glad I am we have our girlies? I can't imagine I've never talked about that (hee, hee). They're silly. And fun. And while I know Todd would be completely distraught (for he thinks we really need a boy to even things out a bit), I would be completely OK with it if God saw fit to give us another girl should we ever get around to having that third baby!

Iris Takes a Field Trip

Yesterday, Iris' preschool class took a field trip to the Pumpkin Patch. And wouldn't you know it? I forgot to check the batteries on my camera before we left, and they pooped out as soon as we got there. Go figure. So the pictures you are about to see are a mix of what I could squeeze in before they fizzled out completely and what a lovely new mommy friend so graciously took for me (thanks, Sarah!). Lesson learned: always check the batteries before leaving for an important event.

One of the highlights of the whole trip was getting to ride on a bonafide school bus! Iris has longed for this day since the moment she first noticed a bus dropping of children in our subdivision back when she was a wee girlie. (I swear she was way more excited than she looks in this picture!)

The first activity they did, besides getting to pick out a pumpkin which, sadly, I didn't get any pictures of, was to walk across the troll's bridge. Once across, they got to go into the dark and spooky troll's hut. This was a perfectly thrilling adventure for our little lover of all things scary and spooky!

Next activity up was a trek through a maze in a field. I'm embarrassed to say that I have absolutely no idea what kind of field we were in. Somebody suggested sorghum? I guess that means I'm a complete city girl now. Iris did great, despite her initial apprehension regarding the mud.

Lastly, as a grand finale, they got to climb a ginormous hay pyramid. I think this was her best part. Who doesn't love climbing up huge stacks of hay? And inside the pyramid was another dark and spooky tunnel. They all had a good time running back and forth through it scaring themselves silly!

I would say her first field trip was a success. I think it weirded her out a little in the beginning to have me there, but by the end of the morning, she was fine. I have to admit it was a little weird for me too. Together, we're still figuring out how this school thing works. Iris and I are so much alike it makes me laugh sometimes. Always suspicious of anything new or out of the ordinary. She is definitely her momma's daughter!

The Moment has Arrived.

Our house is officially up For Sale.

Isn't that crazy? I think Todd and I both have been feeling kind of stunned since the sign went up. Obviously, we've known this day was coming for awhile, this whole year has been one huge preparation for this day, but now that it's finally here, we kind of feel like, whoa, slow down! There's something about this last final step of selling our house that just makes it all so very real. Our future is rushing in at top speed, and there's no going back. We're really doing this. We're really going to be planting a church. It's sad and scary and exhilarating all at once.

And now begins what I think of as the Great Wait. We've done everything we can, there's nothing more to do EXCEPT wait, and well, because I'm slightly neurotic (only slightly right?...right?) there'll be just a teensy bit of worrying to do, of course. And for Todd, there will be much checking of budgets and plans. I say all this laughingly - we are such a raving OCD duo! In reality, we are trusting hard in the fact that our future rests in God's hands. He already knows what's going to happen with our house, and he already knows what's going to happen in Lincoln. No amount of our worrying or stressing is going to change the outcome!

With that said, this is such a crazy, emotional, unknown time for our family. Please pray that we would continue to trust in His sovereignty over our lives, and that we would remain strong in that trust and not succumb to fear or worry or doubt. We want to be able to truly savor and enjoy every last moment we have here in Missouri unclouded by any angst!

Skater Girl

Lydia had some fun the other day with a neighbor kiddo's skateboard. What I thought was so funny and cute was the fact that rather than trying to navigate around standing up using her feet, which is a little tricky, not to mention dangerous, she laid down on her belly and scooted around using her hands to propel her instead. She's a smart, self-preserving little cookie, our Lolly. Watching her brought back fond memories of those crazy roller thingies we used to use in gym class. Remember those?

She had such a great time, I think we may have to look into investing in one of these things for ourselves. It might make a good Christmas present...