New Friendships

God has been blessing me with new friendships this month. We've joined a small group at church that meets once a week. We had been acquainted with a few of the people in it, but were strangers to the others. It has been really fun to fellowship with other believers and be able to grow together. I look forward to it all week!

In addition to my biweekly women's Bible Study with a few other fantastic women, I've added in a one-on-one Bible Study with a younger woman. It was encouraging this week to see her excited about applying Scripture to her life.

Lastly, I met a woman and her little daughter at a mall play area, and we've since met up several times. Last night, our family went over to their house for dinner, and it was really nice to get to know their family better. She and her husband are both from different countries (one European, one South American) so they have a huge wealth of experience that Isaac and I admire.

I do miss some of my old friends that I don't get to see as often, so I'm especially glad that God is blessing me with new ones in addition!

Sick Days

Elizabeth has had a fever since Sunday morning. She hung around on the couch Sunday and Monday, but now she feels fine and the fever just won't go away. Because of the strict rules, though, she can't go to school and now she has missed over a full week of kindergarten this year! (I'm not complaining about the strict rules; I see why they're necessary. I just hope all the other parents follow them too!)

Isaac was sick last week. Amelie and I are fine. Praise God for that!

Different Approaches

Elizabeth's fall festival at school perfectly highlighted one of the differences between our two girls. There was a square dance in the gym. Elizabeth, slow to warm up, held back on Isaac's lap.Amelie jumped right in, clapping and wandering right into the middle of it.When Amelie got too tired, she lay down in the middle of the floor and kicked her leg in time to the music.

After Elizabeth had watched several dances, she was ready to join in.Elizabeth also enjoyed a costume parade through the halls.

Daddy Flips

Cuddling Daddy out of joy and gratefulness
Okay, enough cuddling. Get up and do it again!

Amelie's Rules for Life

1. If you're so lucky as to get your big sister's lunchbox, run off with it as fast as you can. Yell, if possible. Run so fast that your picture-taking fool of a mother can only get your back in the picture.2. Try to get the printer/computer at all costs. If your parents block it off, climb.

3. If you see something you might fit into, climb into it.

4. Stand on chairs whenever possible.5. If the chair falls over, that's okay. Climb on it anyway. 6. If you're not tall enough to climb into something, tip it over first.

Verbal Explosion

Elizabeth, the true daughter of an English major, is starting to explore hyperbole, simile, and metaphor. We are so proud. However, we could do without some of her descriptions.

To me, after tasting some delicious homemade bread: "I don't like the bread. It doesn't taste good at all." (Personally, I thought that was sufficient. But she chose to add more description.) "It tastes like plain old bread with water poured on it and thrown a hundred times on the floor."

To Isaac: "Daddy, Amelie's poop smells so bad! Smell her bottom - it smells like a hundred really bad things!"

We'll have to work on appropriateness of phrasing!

Amelie Joy at One Year Old

Amelie is really coming into her own as a little person. She's happy - demandingly happy, I like to call her. That means that she's loud and exuberant and wants you to join in. If she joyously yells, she'll keep doing it until you do it too.

She's busy - demandingly busy. She is a constant blur of motion and never stops even to read a book. Her mode of reading involves us sitting on the floor reading while she crawls over our legs, stands up next to us, and walks to find a new book every few pages. She never sits on our laps. She loves the computer/printer and any garbage can she can find. One time I thought I had put the garbage can out of reach and found her contentedly chewing on the scraps I'd cleaned up from her high chair and thrown away. Her favorite activities involve carrying things all over the house and dropping them when she finds something better to grab.

She's sometimes cranky - demandingly cranky. When she's cranky, she needs to be fed or carried around the house while interacting. She won't curl up in your lap and read for a break, or rest her head on your shoulder while you pace peacefully through the house. No! You need to constantly talk to her, sing to her, point things out, and stay moving. Don't try to get anything done while you do this!

She's cuddly and sweet - demandingly cuddly and sweet. She pauses from a busy trip through the house while carrying Elizabeth's lunchbox over her shoulder and yelling to run straight into your legs for a quick hug before she's off again. She stands next to you while you sit on the floor and rests her face against yours before she thrusts another book into your hands. She lets me hold her and cuddle her closely for a whole trip around the house before jerking her little head off my shoulder and demanding more interaction.

She's joyously exuberant and grins easily. She loves to experiment with her voice and pitches and tones. She loves to clap and dance and play with instruments. She likes to be with people and follows us all over the house (she can open the bathroom door by herself so there is no privacy left!). She is starting to figure out games like chase and hide and seek and Ring Around the Rosy. She pounds on our tiny piano and sings into the microphone. She thrives on physical touch: tickling, rough-housing, rolling around, etc.

She keeps me very busy and I enjoy (almost) every minute of it!