Abby in response to Katie's cleaning up of the back yard (picking up trash, scooping poop, putting away toys)...
"Oh, thank you Mommy! I'm so proud."
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Routine Responsibility, Unexpected Grattitude
A routine parental responsibility.
A hugely unexpected expression of gratitude.
Abby spilled some of her slushy on her shirt and pants while trying to spoon it into her mouth. For Abby, this was more than possible without the mess. Nonetheless, there it was.
A bit less than patient in my response, I uttered a mild disdain for the mishap. "Abby," I said, with a whisper-like tone that clearly communicated my sense of inconveneince with the situation.
Routinely, I headed for the napkins and, calming myself fairly quickly, proceded to wipe off Abby's torso and thigh. Routine. You would expect no less.
Enter: Abby's response.
Arms thrown around my neck in an Abbyesque tightness that is her MO for communicating sincerity, our eldest three-year old exclaimed...
"Thank you Daddy! You're the greatest!"
For me, there are no words.
A hugely unexpected expression of gratitude.
Abby spilled some of her slushy on her shirt and pants while trying to spoon it into her mouth. For Abby, this was more than possible without the mess. Nonetheless, there it was.
A bit less than patient in my response, I uttered a mild disdain for the mishap. "Abby," I said, with a whisper-like tone that clearly communicated my sense of inconveneince with the situation.
Routinely, I headed for the napkins and, calming myself fairly quickly, proceded to wipe off Abby's torso and thigh. Routine. You would expect no less.
Enter: Abby's response.
Arms thrown around my neck in an Abbyesque tightness that is her MO for communicating sincerity, our eldest three-year old exclaimed...
"Thank you Daddy! You're the greatest!"
For me, there are no words.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Gabe is Three!
Gabe turned three yesterday! Seems like we have all been anticipating this day for so long, especially since Abby's birthday back in January.
For months now, Gabe has known that he wants a cow cake for his birthday. Mommy delivered! ...and boy, was Gabe pleased as punch!
Today, Gabe is pedalling his new trike around the house with his new pick up and hay trailer, Tonka truck and plastic animals riding on the back step. So content is he, with the little things.
And how he loves to play in his own little world. Not too keen on others playing with him, which is a conflict of interest with Abby's preferred mode of play.
She is social and wants to interact. She loves to move stuff around. Gabe loves to organize and order stuff. Makes for some interesting interaction and intervention.
For months now, Gabe has known that he wants a cow cake for his birthday. Mommy delivered! ...and boy, was Gabe pleased as punch!
Today, Gabe is pedalling his new trike around the house with his new pick up and hay trailer, Tonka truck and plastic animals riding on the back step. So content is he, with the little things.
And how he loves to play in his own little world. Not too keen on others playing with him, which is a conflict of interest with Abby's preferred mode of play.
She is social and wants to interact. She loves to move stuff around. Gabe loves to organize and order stuff. Makes for some interesting interaction and intervention.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Open Up!
So, Gabe was sitting on our friend Randy's lap, ready to play doctor. Randy began singing a song he likes to use to entertain our kids, called "Freddy the Wide Mouthed Frog".
No sooner had Randy finished the first chorus than Gabe piped up, thermometer in hand, "Well...open up your wide mouth"!
No sooner had Randy finished the first chorus than Gabe piped up, thermometer in hand, "Well...open up your wide mouth"!
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
What do you want to be when you grow up?
We were at Chick-fil-a tonight for supper (Tuesday nights kids eat free!), and a worker came out in the cow suit. Gabe, who used to be terrified of this creature but really loves cows, yelled out, "Hi cow!"
Katie prompted him to tell the cow what he wanted to be when he grows (he always says he wants to be a cow). He yelled out to the cow (who had now moved on to other young patrons), "I want to be a cow just like you!"
Hysterical!!!
Katie prompted him to tell the cow what he wanted to be when he grows (he always says he wants to be a cow). He yelled out to the cow (who had now moved on to other young patrons), "I want to be a cow just like you!"
Hysterical!!!
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Happy Adoption Day, Abby!
So, today is Abby's Adoption Day. All day long Abby has been taking her ice cream cake out of the freezer and admiring it. Finally, tonight, after a celebration meal at Applebee's, she got to tear into the coveted confection.
Wow, to reflect back on her start and our whole start with the adoption process, I cannot help but be amazed. I am impacted by the power of choices...how we had a choice to say yes or no to Abby's placement with us, then again to adopt her. And the choices her birth mom made...
Now, here she is, so full of life, so sensative, so energetic and athletic and cute and smart and sweet... (I know, I'm using lots of elipsis periods, but they are coming in so handy with this sort of reflection.
Any way, the cool thing about adoption is that we chose Abby and we are still choosing her.
We love you, Abby, and we're glad your our daughter!
Wow, to reflect back on her start and our whole start with the adoption process, I cannot help but be amazed. I am impacted by the power of choices...how we had a choice to say yes or no to Abby's placement with us, then again to adopt her. And the choices her birth mom made...
Now, here she is, so full of life, so sensative, so energetic and athletic and cute and smart and sweet... (I know, I'm using lots of elipsis periods, but they are coming in so handy with this sort of reflection.
Any way, the cool thing about adoption is that we chose Abby and we are still choosing her.
We love you, Abby, and we're glad your our daughter!
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Fire Trucks?! Again!?
Sirens are not uncommon here. But since the neighbor's fire on January 15th, we hear them much differently. Our hearts start pounding a bit faster and our adreneline kicks up a bit. And for Abby, well, she usually gets pretty scared.
Tonight, as Abby and I lay in bed, we heard the familiar sound again. It got closer and I hoped it would just pass on by without much hightened screaming as it did. Instead, the sound stopped altogether...right in front of our house! "Not again!"
Turns out, a neighbor was strolling by HDC (the ministry that I work at across the street) when he heard fire alarms going off in our back building. It was just a dirty detector.
In the end, Abby was very curious and, by the grace of God, not scared. We see God using this in helping Abby get over her fear and the incident of last month. For this time, the fire trucks outside our house, was not a scary event.
Thank you, Lord!
Tonight, as Abby and I lay in bed, we heard the familiar sound again. It got closer and I hoped it would just pass on by without much hightened screaming as it did. Instead, the sound stopped altogether...right in front of our house! "Not again!"
Turns out, a neighbor was strolling by HDC (the ministry that I work at across the street) when he heard fire alarms going off in our back building. It was just a dirty detector.
In the end, Abby was very curious and, by the grace of God, not scared. We see God using this in helping Abby get over her fear and the incident of last month. For this time, the fire trucks outside our house, was not a scary event.
Thank you, Lord!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
