The girl loves shoes

Already, Ella has discovered a love of women's/girls shoes at the ripe age of 22 months. She stays away from men's shoes for the most part, but definately gravitates towards whomever's shoes are nearby, puts them on and walks around in them, until it is time for you to leave. High heels/tennis shoes/cowboy boots, it really doesn't matter. And I often find her in our closets putting on shoes! Yes, I know, we are in for it:-)

I want to bake a pie

I just have to share my favorite Ella-ism I have heard thus far. She of course says all sorts of non-words and phrases as she is learning how to speak, and we have adapted and can usually translate most of her words and phrases. So, when Ella wants her two most cherised items; her blankie and her paci, she says: "I want a blankie paci"......or as others outside our household hear it: "I want to bake a pie"....yes it works...say it really fast 3 times, and you will see. The "c" and the "i" become one letter really.

Chatty Cathies

If this isn't a sign for what is to come......I don't know what is! I caught a sweet little conversation on camera between miss Addy Miller and Ella awhile ago, and just happened upon the picture. They are pretty cute together. Not only do they chat, but they like to hug and kiss each time they greet each other. Best buds already at 18 and 21 months.

People

Well if you know me, you know I love people. I love getting to know people, and cultivating relationships with those I know. I guess I have always felt like taking care of and loving people is what I do best. But God has brought it to my attention over the last couple of days that my motives aren't always pure.
We have been going through a book in our life group called "Jesus of Suburbia" by Mike Erre, and last night we focused on how we live in a society that caters to our every whim. It is a life where we have many options to choose from, from breakfast cereal to the person we would like to date. It caters to our need to satisfy our wants and desires. It is hard to not become "me focused". I have come to realize my intentions for getting to know people are often based on my desires, not God's.
And then this morning in my moms group we talked about hospitality, and how just an invitation given to someone to join me for a meal or coffee, or a chat, is of utmost importance. And by doing this I am cultivating the fruits of the spirit in me. Am I reaching out to others purely because I love my God and the people he created?
This I believe is what God called us to do; to love Him and to love others. But to do that I have got to love my self a little less. This message is so opposite from what this world teaches, which is to search inside yourself, and to love yourself.
Well I can say that I am thankful that this Christian walk is a process and that I have a savior who loves me exactly the way I am, and that without his love and grace I would be nothing.

A Great Day

We had a great day this Saturday! We had a gift of some 80 degree weather..... so you of course must get outside since Springtime is usually so wet here in Portland......so we spent the day at Esther Short Park (downtown vancouver) had lunch, enjoyed the Farmers Market, and basked in the sunshine........Ahhhhhh, medicine for my soul:-)

Blessed

I just finished another Khaled Hosseini book "A Thousand Splendid Suns". Although it was a fictional book, it was a great representation of what women are facing in Afghanistan, today! The astounding thing to me as I was reading the book was that women are dealing with the same issues in the 2000's that they did in the 1900's. And this book got personal as it followed the lives of two women amidst the communism, tyranny, oppression and war their country has faced and are still facing. This book was so compelling, that I read it in a week (it usually takes me a few weeks to get through a book). After I put it down, I felt immense gratitude for my freedoms, (almost guiltily) and I hugged my husband and children tightly, so grateful for them and thankful that God has given me this life with them. It has invoked a thankful heart that I hope to continue to cultivate!

Who needs toys?

Here are my two monsters who by the way have been couped up sick in the house for about a week, and are playing in their most frequently played place: the cupboard in the kitchen where I keep my plastic containers. I mean really......this is all they need, okay maybe not all, but it sure keeps them occupied, and for some reason they play so nicely together, taking turns locking each other in the cupboard. It is when the giggle with each other most, and that is my favorite thing!