too cute

I love kids... especially my own!

They make me laugh and make me think... they open our eyes to the delights all around us waiting to be delighted in.

Hannie sits at a small table in her kindergarten class with two other children and the other side of the table is open to see the teacher and board. Well, she LOVES teasing and told me that there are actually four at her table now.
"Oh, did you get another student in class?"
"No..." -giggle...
"Hannie, are you fibbing?!"
"No! Really there are four..." -more giggling...
"Hannie?"
"It's true; the fourth one is Jesus! He needs a place!"

Hannie is loving school! She's making friends. They get to paint and that's pretty cool. They're learning a Bible verse for each letter of the alphabet. (This week was "B" "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ...") And she also learned her official word this week - "at". She doesn't read books like crazy like Benjamin does but she loves to write things out, which Benjamin wasn't too interested in... She'll sound out words and write things down all by herself. One picture hanging on our wall right now reads, "i LUVU DAD B KUS YW LUKT RME BKS" Anyone? Translation: I love you, Dad, because you like to read me books.

Last night was Back to School Night for parents to see what the kids will be learning this year... I asked Benjamin what his 2nd grade teacher would have to say about him. He figured she'd say that he was doing good... but that the others could use some work! Hannie teased that her teacher would say that she was doing BAD! - giggles...

Benjamin still loves books and reading. He was so excited the other day because they had library at school and he checked out a "cool, gross book". It's about Hungry, Hungry Sharks. Heh. And one page showes sharks EATING a whale! Another page says the things that have been found in sharks bellies - one thing was a suit of armor!!

At meal time we can get into some good conversations. Ruth just asked, "Who is Jesus?" Well... that's an important question. I explained that He is God's Son and our Savior. He's preparing a place for us in heaven... Kevin was formulating an answer himself as we tried to think of a simple yet real answer for our three year old, when Hannie burst out - "He's the Rock of my Salvation!"

It's always interesting to have a child teach you with out them knowing it. Ruth told me the other day as we were talking about Jesus coming to the earth that she did NOT want to go to heaven. I quickly said, "That's why Jesus came... it'll be great to go to heaven!" "Well, I don't want to. I want to stay here." Which made me think... Jesus did come so that we could go to heaven but He also came that we might have abundant life now! (John 10:10) So I went on to explain to her and to reasure her that right now it's good to have her here and that when the time comes to go to heaven that it'll be good to have her there, too. Abundant life now and hope for the future...

Just looking at Ruthie is fun. She's got such expressions these days. We are enjoying some quieter time together now with the older two off at school. She loves to be read to. So that's been fun. Just to have her close and to have conversations with her as we go through books together.

Elijah's learning words and more words. He will repeat just about everything you say and is remembering more and more on his own, too. One of my favorites is "boogie". That's what I say when we need to go... and we are forever GOING... So now whenever it's time to pick up Hannie or pick up Benjamin or drop someone off I'll say, "Let's go!" and a little baby voice somewhere will reply, "Boogie, boogie, boogie, boogie..." Then when we take an exit ramp to get the kids to school, I'll turn kinda quickly and he exclaims from the back seat, "Wheee!" He also gives GREAT kisses. I love baby kisses.

Puppies are also the bomb. Especially Emmitt, Uncle Blake's puppy. While we were taking care of him on Labor Day while Blake was out of town, Eli decided that tackeling him was the thing to do. They both weigh about the same but it was so funny to watch Emmitt look back at Elijah and wonder what to do with this little thing laying across his back... Of course Elijah just grinned and laughed and clapped his hands...

Life. Joy.