DB, Jeni, EB, and Lorelai

Saturday, August 6th Lorelai started walking!!!!  Since then she still crawls a bit and walks some…but here are the first steps!!!

(Also, here is the video of EB taking her first steps – wearing the same onesie – I thought that was pretty sweet!)

That is what EB calls the Resurrection Egg set that Wilma gave her a few years ago. We started about a month before Easter, telling her the story of Jesus’s death and resurrection using this set of hands on reminders of the story. Every day, EB would ask us if she could “Play the egg game.”

When we went to Thailand, we were at a retreat with a lot of other families, and the kids had their own program.  They were broken up into two groups, the babies, and the big kids.  

EB went to preschool for about a month in the city we lived in. There were several other international students at the school she went to, and two other American three-year-olds in her class, but the majority of the students were Dari speaking local neighbors. EB was ADAMANT that she did NOT want to go to school, but we pushed through and by her second day, she was bouncing off and loving it. She took her backpack, which, the teachers said, she never took off while at school. Doesn’t she look like a big girl?

This was a huge parenting lesson for me.  EB cried real tears and really did not want to go – she did not want to leave me, and I am sure she was a little bit nervous about the unknown.  She had no idea what school was like!  But I knew that she needed to be with other kids her own age, and that it was the best thing for her to go.  I prayed for wisdom, and cried many tears myself that first day.  But little EB girl learned just what I knew she would – that school is great and exactly what she needed.

Can you see the spiritual parallel here?  I certainly can see a lesson the Father taught me through this experience.  Just like I made EB do something that she didn’t want to because I wanted what was best for her, sometimes God does the same for us.  It doesn’t always turn out to be sunshines and rainbows like it did for EB, but it does always turn out for the best (at least that is what I am still holding on to).

I do not say these things lightly – we have had some really rough times as we have obediently followed the Father – and to be honest, I am ready for some not so rough times.  But I will still be obedient, no matter what happens.  So thanks, EB, for teaching me a valuable lesson.  And no more push over mommy!

Most kids probably make up songs, and this one is probably fairly typical…except the names of the cities she lists in the song…

Lorelai is serious about getting around and into EVERYTHING!! This video was taken on February 27th and she is a little speedy girl now compared to this.

EB really loves to hear and tell stories.  She likes to say “Tell me a story about Jesus.”  So we have told her lots of stories, both from the Bible and fairy tales – which she likes to retell.  

About the time Lorelai got close to being 6 months old, she started pretending to eat every time she saw someone else eat. Since we were traveling, we waited until we got back to our home and boy was she ready for some solid food! Watch this little cutie eat…

When we were in Thailand, EB really enjoyed playing in the sand. For the whole week we were at the beach, EB refused to play in the pool – she just wanted me to fill her little boat with water and play in it. She and DB also built a sand castle, which was quite an experience…

I love it when EB and Lorelai play together – EB told me the other day that she can’t wait for Lorelai to grow up so they can play together.  (Of course, shortly after, she cried because Lorelai touched her).  She also told me that when Lorelai grows up she is going to teach her run and jump and skip and keep hair bows in her hair.  That’s my girl!