Christmas Crafts

We were able to make many of our gifts for each other this year. Here are some of them....

-Addie's applique top, skirt and baby sling

-Lofted bed and play house for Addie

-Elias's Tool Table

-Cora's bonnet and big swaddle blankets (under her)

On Addie...

Addie is 3 1/2 and every bit the BIG GIRL in our house. She has the spirit of a leader and we are trying with all our might to train her to use this quality for the glory of the Lord. Addie loves babies, dress up and art. The above photo is of her turning a fanny pack into an Ergo baby carrier just like mommy has. The side pockets included a wooden pear "in case we get hungry," and a toy for her baby to play with. She is always fashion conscience and love anything pink! She recently has learned to hold her potty at nap time, and we will start working on night time after we return from Christmas travels. She is a smarty pants! We are reading "Little House in the Big Woods," and she is loving it! She also has a very compassionate heart. During Advent we have discussed how we give to others because Jesus came to give himself up for us. She immediately said, "Daddy we need to go find people that don't have food and give them chocolate and candy." I guess she thought that was the best thing because that is her favorites. What a precious girl!

On Elias...

Our Elias is about as cute as it gets right now. He is 19 months old and is a total toddler! That said, he is also all boy, all mommy's boy and a very sensitive heart. He loves fuzzy blankets and still sucks his thumb. He is very calm and happy, but is having some trauma when it comes to communicating his needs and wants. That means he is a bit whiny at times. He is a lover of hugs and cuddles, reading books (when he can sit still long enough) and any thing that is electronic or looks like a tool. Elias also loves to copy his big sister and daddy. If Tim scratches his foot, "Little Buddy" also reaches down to scratch his. He can say: baby, daddy, addie, mommy, duck, read, woof-woof, bath, ball, vroom-vroom, more, all done, yeah, no and a few other words. Elias is mainly a very calm compliant little boy, but he isn't willing to be pushed around. If his big sis tries to steal a toy he is holding he has been known to bite. Occasionally we will hear Addie say, "NO! Don't bite me!" But, I guess he has figured out how to hold his own with her. We sure love this little buddy!

While Visions of Sugar Plums...

Thoughts on Friendships

Recently I have had three dreams in a row that has gotten me thinking a lot on how I value and interact with friends. The three dreams were very vivid and left me troubled when I awoke...not a normal occurance for me. Two dreams were about the death of a different friend and the third was about receiving a home video from a family that we are long distant friends with and how much we didn't know them any more, how much they have changed. I woke up sad and bothered from all of them!
In thinking them over it is easy to see that this is more than some "silly dreams" and that I must be having them because I am either bothered by the lack of intimacy in my friendships or that I need to reevaluate what kind of friend I am to others. Today I got to thinking that I view relationships with friends in a really selfish manner recently, that I don't really go out of my way for others or to get to know others...if it can be scheduled and neat and tidy that is great, but that I would rather stay in my little circle of comfort if it isn't. I have learned that I have been in the habit of trying to a have a social life, not be a genuine and real friend to others. I have had it wrong lately.
That said, I am still working through what God is teaching me and what changes I need to make in this all. In many ways I feel like my life is centered so closely to The Home right now due to my three little ones. I need to learn a healthy perspective on friendships and being a friend to others while not neglecting the relationships that are most important...my husband and children. Last night my oldest girl said to the baby, "We will have a room together, I will sleep on the top bunk bed. It will be SO fun!" I said to her, "You and Cora will be such good friends." She looked back at me and said, "Mom, can we be friends too?" I smiled an said, "I sure hope we can be some day, but I like being your mom the best!" I am not sure how to balance it all and it feels like it is a big deal to intentionally pursue others right now. That is probably my biggest issue.