Lindy

Precious soul . . . those are the words that immediately come to mind when I think of Lindy. She is gentle, thoughtful, kind, and sweet. However, she does has a streak of stubbornness that surfaces every so often. She likes things to go a certain way and can get quite upset if things work out differently than her plan. Since her speech is not completely clear yet, she can get frustrated if we don't understand the plan. She has come such a long way, and we continue to see improvement in her ability to communicate. She understands everything, yet she processes things slowly. She is carefree . . . most of the time. She is not easily bothered
. . . most of the time. She does have a pint sized sister who seems to sometimes find pleasure in pushing her buttons. Yet, she demonstrates an amazing amount of patience . . . most of the time. Lindy is affectionate and loving. Every night she prays a prayer of thanks to God for her "whole family"! She likes to be near to those she loves, yet she has a confidence about her that plays out in how she is usually willing to try new things.

Recently I was reminded of her preciousness as we were leaving the swimming pool. It was just me and my three girls walking toward the exit gate. Sometimes we enjoy stopping just before the gate to watch the diving team on the high boards. We were all together watching in amazement when all of a sudden I saw Lindy bolt out of the gate. I heard her running footsteps and was honestly surprised and a bit frustrated that she had taken off like that. I quickly followed her and had to keep going because she had actually fled down the ramp and rounded the corner. Once I could see her, I yelled "Lindy!" She turned around, and I immediately saw a look of panic and relief flood her face. The little dear had clearly thought that she had lost us. My frustration turned to compassion as I realized what had happened. After we watched the first diver, we decided to watch just one more before leaving. Apparently Lindy missed that decision, didn't see us still standing there, and thought we had left without her. I reassured her over and over again that we would never, ever, ever leave her! It was also a reminder to her to stay close to mommy and to never walk away by herself. Now, most kids would be scared if they looked up and didn't see their mommy. However, with a child who knows what it feels like to be left, the fear is that much greater. I can hardly put into words the emotions I felt in that moment of panic for my daughter. She is so precious, and I want to protect her with everything that I am. I am so thankful that I get to be her mommy, to be the one to love her and guide her. Most importantly I get to play a role in pointing her to her heavenly Father who loves her even more than I do. He is the great Protector, and He promises to never leave us or forsake us. What an amazing truth!

Sweet Lindy recovered from the episode and prayerfully will never even remember it. However, the next time we leave the pool I'm pretty sure she will be right by my side!

"All By Myself!"

We hear this phrase often! My tendency is to want to help. It seems as though most little ones tend to go back and forth between the "I can do it all by myself!" and the "I need help, please!" Knowing when to help and when to encourage the doing it "by myself" is a balancing act . . . especially with one who can't always do it herself physically, and one who can't always do it herself cognitively. It is almost always quicker and easier to help, yet when a little one accomplishes something "all by myself", it is a victory worth celebrating! The joy that follows is worth all of the effort as well as the patience that it took to refrain from "helping"!

Lindy's most recent "all by myself" moments include buckling herself into her car seat, writing her name, and swimming a short distance in the pool. She is capable of so many things, yet learning new things does not come easy. She is trying so hard, and the girl really does have an amazing determination.

Joy's most recent "all by myself" moments include standing up from a sitting position on the floor, going up and down the stairs (as unconventional as it may be), and doing a somersault. She is working so hard, and we celebrate each milestone in her physical progress.

So, we will continue to seek to find the balance between encouraging these "by myself" moments and also meeting the need for help when necessary. We pray that God gives us wisdom to know what is best as we assure our little ones that we will always be there for them . . . encouraging, helping, cheering, and applauding their victories!

Park Days

The girls love to go for daily walks . . . and if the park is included in the trek, then they are super excited . . . and if they get to bring along a baby, then that is just an added bonus of FUN!

They are so cute in their matching outfits . . . they love to dress the same especially in their "girl shirts"! These little ones truly are "precious in His sight"!