Four beautiful souls!
Monday, January 21, 2013
Day 138: Insults of a 4-year-old
On the playground today, X comes running over to me, looking distraught, saying "A called me a 'Chicken Nugget Noodle'!" I tried so hard not to laugh. If only the rest of the world was this creative with their "insults". I promptly walked over to A and told him to please use nice words...and then turned around and had a good laugh. Never a dull moment!
"Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, 'The LORD has done great things for them.'" - Psalm 126:2
Sunday, January 20, 2013
Day 137: Remember the Joy
Each day with these children is filled with sweet moments that melt my heart. I want to write them down so I can look back one day and remember the joy.
Singing lullabies to M before bed. She has the biggest smile on her face. She sings with me. "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" and "Happy Birthday". As I hold her, listening to this 2-year-old sing, I think to myself: I cannot imagine a happier sound. It's true. The voice of a child, singing so innocently in the night, without a care in the world, looking up at you with pure love...this is heaven. Thank you, sweet girl, for showing me a little slice of heaven tonight.
"For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes."- Revelation 7:17
Singing lullabies to M before bed. She has the biggest smile on her face. She sings with me. "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" and "Happy Birthday". As I hold her, listening to this 2-year-old sing, I think to myself: I cannot imagine a happier sound. It's true. The voice of a child, singing so innocently in the night, without a care in the world, looking up at you with pure love...this is heaven. Thank you, sweet girl, for showing me a little slice of heaven tonight.
"For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes."- Revelation 7:17
Saturday, January 12, 2013
Day 129: Unforgettable
I want to remember everything about them.
A. Sweet, sweet A. When I first met him, I was unsure how to handle him. He was aggressive, loud, threw tantrums, and refused to listen. Looking back on those first days with him, I am amazed how he has progressed into the sweetest, funniest, happiest little boy. I never knew I would grow to love him this much. He says the most hilarious things. "I love you ALL THE WAY OUT THE UNIVERSE!" "And I was like, whaaat?" "Do ya love me?" "How many? Like THESE MANY?" "Don't get a haircut! You're my best friend!" "You think this is cool?" "I've got strong muscles!" He memorizes how to spell everyone's name, which is pretty impressive for a 4-year-old. We've got a genius on our hands, folks! He remembers everything you say, even if it was 4 months ago (this can be good or bad). He's outgoing, joyful, and knows how to push our buttons. He loves to swing "high up in the sky" and run "super fast". He loves going to preschool, wearing his backpack, and always wishes he had homework (I'd love to remind him of that when he's older). He's always excited to see us. It fills my heart with so much joy when he comes running over to give me a long, tight hug. I wish I could bottle it up. I love when I walk past his room at night, and he whispers "Rachel, I love you!" and blows me a kiss. How lucky am I? He's so good at doing puzzles. He wants to be Batman for Halloween next year. He looks up to the older boys. He loved D, so much. I know he still misses him (so do I, buddy). He has the best smile. He fills my world with laughter. I want to know him forever and ever.
J. My little man. The most kindhearted 3-year-old I've ever known. I knew he was sweet-to-the-core when I first met him. That smile and those big brown eyes just melted my heart. He's such a ham. It's hard to get mad at him. He flashes me that smile and knows he's got me wrapped around his little finger. He is so easygoing. I wish I was more like him. He shares all of his toys. He lets his brother and sister take his toys. He'll just move on and find something else to play with (yes, he really is that nice!). When A or M get upset, J always runs over to comfort them. He puts his little hand on their shoulder and pats their back. When one of X's toys broke, J offered him his. These sweet little moments can really teach us all a lesson in selfless love. Thank you, J, for showing me that love and kindness are more important than satisfying selfish desires. I can always count on you. He loves waffles and fruit. He hates pizza and pancakes. He loves to "cheers" at the table. He always takes my cellphone. He's afraid of the "choo-choo" at night, but loves playing with his toy train. He loves "bubba" and "ya-ya" so much. He gets frustrated when we don't know what he's saying. I pray that he learns how to talk soon. I pray that his beautiful soul shines this brightly forever.
M. My favorite little girl. My darling, spunky, crazy, loud, gorgeous little girl. She knows I think she's the cutest thing in the world. I adore her. The other day, when she was being loud in her crib trying to wake up "bubba", I go in the room and say, "M, do you need to take a break in the hall?" She looked up at me smiling and nodded her head "yes". I tried really hard not to laugh. I failed. She started laughing, too. Let's just say, it was not the most successful nap-time. She loves pretending to be a monster. She goes around saying "rah!", trying to scare everyone, even the baby. Poor baby. She has learned all of our names and says them in the cutest 2-year-old voice I've ever heard. "Bay-chel! Bay-chel! Bay-chel!" She has the best laugh. It is contagious. She loves to sing "happy birthday" and have tea parties. She loves to play with the boys, much to their dismay. She loves to eat. She's the slowest, messiest eater in the house. She always wants to be held (I can't say no). She screams our names loudly to get attention. She whines. She blows kisses. She has me wrapped around her finger. I want to watch her grow into the beautiful woman I know she'll be. I hope she always keeps that fiery determination. I hope she knows how much she is loved.
Baby J. Ohh, baby J. The cutest baby I've ever seen in my life. Seriously, I'm not lying. His big blue eyes, wide toothless grin, sweet giggles, fuzzy hair, and his wonderful baby scent are the BEST. If I could, I would bottle up his scent and sell it in stores. I wake up craving it. Weird, right? Even though he sometimes drives us crazy with his constant need to be held and lack of sleep, we wouldn't trade him for the world. He has the best smile. It melts my heart every single time. In the middle of the night, when all I want to do is sleep but he won't let me, he'll flash me that grin and let out a chuckle. Suddenly, it's all worth it and all I want to do is cuddle with him and kiss his chubby cheeks. So much love wells up inside me every time his little hand curls around my finger. I am so blessed. I get to play with this adorable baby all day, everyday. I want to keep him forever. I pray that God leads him to a good, loving family who will teach him all about Jesus and His perfect love. May he grow up to be a strong, God-fearing man who loves the Lord with all his heart. I know he won't remember us, but I hope he knows that his first months on Earth were filled with joy, love, and lots of laughter.
X. The X-man. Our newest family member. Feels like he's been with us forever! These past two weeks with him have been so fun. I look forward to getting to know him better and undoubtedly falling in love with him more and more each day. This 6-year-old man is a sweetheart. He's always trying to make us smile. He eats everything. He loves broccoli, carrots, and any fruit you can think of (especially pears). This has rubbed off on A (thank God!). He loves dancing and singing. "Can we have a dance party?" is a question he asks multiple times a day. We [usually] oblige. He sings all day. He sings pop songs, Disney songs, Veggie Tales songs, and even sweet lullabies for the baby. He was so happy and touched that Santa remembered him and sent him gifts (thanks Mom and Dad). He lost his second front tooth the other day. The tooth fairy came and I've never seen such a big, toothless smile! It's the little things in life. He teaches me that everyday. He is so kind. He loves superheroes, especially Iron Man and Captain America. The little ones look up to him. He fits so nicely in our family. We love him. I hope he keeps that dancing spirit forever.
These children, these memories, all these little moments are truly unforgettable. I want to remember every little thing. Every little smile, every little laugh, every little tear, every little hug and kiss...I will treasure forever. Lately, I've been trying to imagine what they'll be like when they're 10, 20, 30 years old. The hardest part is knowing that I'll never know. They'll be gone from my life (sooner than I care to think about) and I won't know every little beautiful thing they do. It's hard, so I'll place this burden in God's loving hands. I am so thankful for His comfort and strength.
"May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and through grace gave us eternal comfort and good hope, comfort your hearts." - 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17
A. Sweet, sweet A. When I first met him, I was unsure how to handle him. He was aggressive, loud, threw tantrums, and refused to listen. Looking back on those first days with him, I am amazed how he has progressed into the sweetest, funniest, happiest little boy. I never knew I would grow to love him this much. He says the most hilarious things. "I love you ALL THE WAY OUT THE UNIVERSE!" "And I was like, whaaat?" "Do ya love me?" "How many? Like THESE MANY?" "Don't get a haircut! You're my best friend!" "You think this is cool?" "I've got strong muscles!" He memorizes how to spell everyone's name, which is pretty impressive for a 4-year-old. We've got a genius on our hands, folks! He remembers everything you say, even if it was 4 months ago (this can be good or bad). He's outgoing, joyful, and knows how to push our buttons. He loves to swing "high up in the sky" and run "super fast". He loves going to preschool, wearing his backpack, and always wishes he had homework (I'd love to remind him of that when he's older). He's always excited to see us. It fills my heart with so much joy when he comes running over to give me a long, tight hug. I wish I could bottle it up. I love when I walk past his room at night, and he whispers "Rachel, I love you!" and blows me a kiss. How lucky am I? He's so good at doing puzzles. He wants to be Batman for Halloween next year. He looks up to the older boys. He loved D, so much. I know he still misses him (so do I, buddy). He has the best smile. He fills my world with laughter. I want to know him forever and ever.
J. My little man. The most kindhearted 3-year-old I've ever known. I knew he was sweet-to-the-core when I first met him. That smile and those big brown eyes just melted my heart. He's such a ham. It's hard to get mad at him. He flashes me that smile and knows he's got me wrapped around his little finger. He is so easygoing. I wish I was more like him. He shares all of his toys. He lets his brother and sister take his toys. He'll just move on and find something else to play with (yes, he really is that nice!). When A or M get upset, J always runs over to comfort them. He puts his little hand on their shoulder and pats their back. When one of X's toys broke, J offered him his. These sweet little moments can really teach us all a lesson in selfless love. Thank you, J, for showing me that love and kindness are more important than satisfying selfish desires. I can always count on you. He loves waffles and fruit. He hates pizza and pancakes. He loves to "cheers" at the table. He always takes my cellphone. He's afraid of the "choo-choo" at night, but loves playing with his toy train. He loves "bubba" and "ya-ya" so much. He gets frustrated when we don't know what he's saying. I pray that he learns how to talk soon. I pray that his beautiful soul shines this brightly forever.
M. My favorite little girl. My darling, spunky, crazy, loud, gorgeous little girl. She knows I think she's the cutest thing in the world. I adore her. The other day, when she was being loud in her crib trying to wake up "bubba", I go in the room and say, "M, do you need to take a break in the hall?" She looked up at me smiling and nodded her head "yes". I tried really hard not to laugh. I failed. She started laughing, too. Let's just say, it was not the most successful nap-time. She loves pretending to be a monster. She goes around saying "rah!", trying to scare everyone, even the baby. Poor baby. She has learned all of our names and says them in the cutest 2-year-old voice I've ever heard. "Bay-chel! Bay-chel! Bay-chel!" She has the best laugh. It is contagious. She loves to sing "happy birthday" and have tea parties. She loves to play with the boys, much to their dismay. She loves to eat. She's the slowest, messiest eater in the house. She always wants to be held (I can't say no). She screams our names loudly to get attention. She whines. She blows kisses. She has me wrapped around her finger. I want to watch her grow into the beautiful woman I know she'll be. I hope she always keeps that fiery determination. I hope she knows how much she is loved.
Baby J. Ohh, baby J. The cutest baby I've ever seen in my life. Seriously, I'm not lying. His big blue eyes, wide toothless grin, sweet giggles, fuzzy hair, and his wonderful baby scent are the BEST. If I could, I would bottle up his scent and sell it in stores. I wake up craving it. Weird, right? Even though he sometimes drives us crazy with his constant need to be held and lack of sleep, we wouldn't trade him for the world. He has the best smile. It melts my heart every single time. In the middle of the night, when all I want to do is sleep but he won't let me, he'll flash me that grin and let out a chuckle. Suddenly, it's all worth it and all I want to do is cuddle with him and kiss his chubby cheeks. So much love wells up inside me every time his little hand curls around my finger. I am so blessed. I get to play with this adorable baby all day, everyday. I want to keep him forever. I pray that God leads him to a good, loving family who will teach him all about Jesus and His perfect love. May he grow up to be a strong, God-fearing man who loves the Lord with all his heart. I know he won't remember us, but I hope he knows that his first months on Earth were filled with joy, love, and lots of laughter.
X. The X-man. Our newest family member. Feels like he's been with us forever! These past two weeks with him have been so fun. I look forward to getting to know him better and undoubtedly falling in love with him more and more each day. This 6-year-old man is a sweetheart. He's always trying to make us smile. He eats everything. He loves broccoli, carrots, and any fruit you can think of (especially pears). This has rubbed off on A (thank God!). He loves dancing and singing. "Can we have a dance party?" is a question he asks multiple times a day. We [usually] oblige. He sings all day. He sings pop songs, Disney songs, Veggie Tales songs, and even sweet lullabies for the baby. He was so happy and touched that Santa remembered him and sent him gifts (thanks Mom and Dad). He lost his second front tooth the other day. The tooth fairy came and I've never seen such a big, toothless smile! It's the little things in life. He teaches me that everyday. He is so kind. He loves superheroes, especially Iron Man and Captain America. The little ones look up to him. He fits so nicely in our family. We love him. I hope he keeps that dancing spirit forever.
These children, these memories, all these little moments are truly unforgettable. I want to remember every little thing. Every little smile, every little laugh, every little tear, every little hug and kiss...I will treasure forever. Lately, I've been trying to imagine what they'll be like when they're 10, 20, 30 years old. The hardest part is knowing that I'll never know. They'll be gone from my life (sooner than I care to think about) and I won't know every little beautiful thing they do. It's hard, so I'll place this burden in God's loving hands. I am so thankful for His comfort and strength.
"May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and through grace gave us eternal comfort and good hope, comfort your hearts." - 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17
Friday, January 11, 2013
Day 128: I Love
Today, I love...
M's contagious laugh and mischievous smile, A's swollen cheeks and silver teeth from the dentist, J's monster slippers and how much he loves them, X's crazy dance moves, and baby J's wide toothless grin. These are a few of my favorite things.
Even when they yell at the dinner table, play with their food, cry at bedtime, throw temper tantrums, splash water from the tub, spill milk on me, make messes, and completely 100% tire me out...they are the loves of my life. The sweetest souls I've ever known.
Thank you, Lord. Thank you for filling me up with Your love through these children. Thank you for allowing me to fill them with Your love. Thank you for that moment last night, tucking A into bed, when he looked up at me and said, "I love you Rachel...so much." And I knew he meant it...so much. Right back at you, bud.
"Learn to do what is right. Seek justice, encourage the oppressed, defend the case of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow and orphan." - Isaiah 1:17
M's contagious laugh and mischievous smile, A's swollen cheeks and silver teeth from the dentist, J's monster slippers and how much he loves them, X's crazy dance moves, and baby J's wide toothless grin. These are a few of my favorite things.
Even when they yell at the dinner table, play with their food, cry at bedtime, throw temper tantrums, splash water from the tub, spill milk on me, make messes, and completely 100% tire me out...they are the loves of my life. The sweetest souls I've ever known.
Thank you, Lord. Thank you for filling me up with Your love through these children. Thank you for allowing me to fill them with Your love. Thank you for that moment last night, tucking A into bed, when he looked up at me and said, "I love you Rachel...so much." And I knew he meant it...so much. Right back at you, bud.
"Learn to do what is right. Seek justice, encourage the oppressed, defend the case of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow and orphan." - Isaiah 1:17
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