Thanksgiving in Texas

Sweet Abigail

Today I was hugging Abigail and I said, "Abigail you're just about the sweetest little girl I ever knew." She thought for a moment and warned me, "When Evie gets older you're going to have more to do than just cuddle me all the time. " "Oh, like what?" I asked. "Feed her, put her down for naps, make sure she has stuff to do (etc)."  I smiled, looked at her and said, "When Evie gets older you're going to have more to do than just cuddle with me all the time." "Why?" she asked. "Because you're going to want to go play with Evie! Maybe I can get both of you to cuddle with me." Abigail smiled and agreed.

I'm so thankful for my sweet girl and that she'll pause and hug with me for a few minutes. She is growing up and we are seeing lots of other attitudes and behaviors that I wish we could shield her from her whole life, but she must face them and make her own decisions with our teaching and the Lord's teaching hopefully ringing in her ears and heart.  Yes, sometimes we butt heads. Sometimes I stop and listen to myself and wonder why I'm acting like a 5 year old, why I'm not being the adult I'm supposed to be and showing Abigail the good example of who I want her to be.  And why must she push every button sometimes.  But we have lots of sweet times and laughs and cuddles too. And I hope, I pray that we'll always have those, as my mom and I still have them now.  For now, I'm taking what I can and enjoying watching her become the person God has made her to be. Discovering more of who she is every day, just as she is, the good and the bad.  Lord I ask for your hand on this precious gift of Abigail. Direct her, shield her, love her, grow her. May she know, love, and serve you always. Amen.

Tickle Fight!!

Fall in Birmingham, Take Seven

Take Seven = Our seventh fall in this house in Birmingham, or seventh fall with children :)

From here on out you're actually going to believe me that it is hard to get a good picture of Abigail because now I have to try and get a good picture of TWO kids at the SAME time. I won't complain too much. :) For Halloween, Abigail was a doctor (doctor of all kids, people, babies, pets, dolls) and Evie was a strawberry.