Good Behavior

This afternoon after church, I had the privilege of attending a baby shower while Jim watched the girls.  I had a wonderful time celebrating the upcoming arrival of baby Riley.  As I watched my friend Alyson open her gifts and unfold tiny newborn onesies, I couldn’t help but marvel that my girls were ever that small.  In fact, they started out life half the size that Riley will.  And now my girls are big, strong toddlers ready to conquer the world – or at least, conquer the furniture, which appears to be their current ambition in life.  

I returned home after the shower to a happy (if stinky) household.  Jim reported that the girls were on their best behavior, even if they decided, for the fifth day in a row, to play through their entire afternoon naptime.  As a treat for being such good sports for their dad, I decided to let them help me open the party favor I received at the shower.  It was a beautiful mug stuffed with goodies and tinsel.  The girls instantly gravitated to the tinsel (it was hot pink, after all) and eagerly distributed it throughout the hallway.  They also made sure that the cat was properly festooned. 

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I guess it really was the cat who deserved a treat for being such a good sport! 

Relaxed Reader

Susie laid like this on the chair for at least five minutes this afternoon.  It must have been an engrossing story!

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It’s a Sno Go

I took the girls out in the snow for the first time yesterday.  I had avoided a snow excursion up until this point; I just couldn’t figure out the logistics of handling two bundled-up children on our very sloped and and very slippery yard by myself.  I had also figured that if the girls took after me at all, about two minutes in the cold wet stuff would be sufficient. 

I saw my father-in-law outside plowing yesterday and figured he could help me to keep the girls from sliding down the driveway, so I stuffed them into their snowsuits and carried them down the stairs and outside.

It turns out I was right – the girls take after me.  We all reached our snow saturation point in about two minutes!

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Becky (on right): “I can’t put my arms down!”

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Susie: “Mom, I think the snow ate my foot.”

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Susie: “This is what we’re supposed to get excited about?”

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Becky: “Hmm…do you think snow is edible?”

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Becky (on right): “Why didn’t anyone tell me that snow is slippery?”

Driveway Theater

What’s almost as mesmerizing as watching the snow fall?

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Watching Pappy plow!

Kiss and Ride

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Becky (on right): “Are you watching us, Mom?”

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“Ready…Set….”

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“Kiss!” (or head-butt, depending on your point of view!)

Back in Business

Heeeere’s Susie!

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Her fever is gone, her spirits are up, and she’s well on her way to being back to normal.  Hooray for antibiotics!

She still has fussy periods where she just wants to sit and cuddle, but now that she’s no longer a human furnace in my lap, I’m happy to oblige.  Becky’s decided to seize these last few moments when Susie is sidelined and play with double the toys.  

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Becky: “What?  I’m simply being economical by making sure nothing goes to waste!”

The Suffering of a Child

Drum roll please…the pediatrician diagnosis for Susanna’s mystery malady is: acute left ear infection!

The doctor was actually very surprised to find that she had an ear infection in the absence of any cold symptoms.  He didn’t think it was a leftover infection from her last cold, since he had evaluated her in the interim and concluded that her ears looked good.  But whatever the source, the treatment is the same: more antibiotics.  She responded well last time, so hopefully we’ll have a similar success with this round.  I’m eager for her to feel better – I just can’t stand to see her in pain. 

I was thinking a lot about the suffering of a child during church yesterday.  I sat there, twisted in knots over my child’s relatively innocuous illness, while thanking God for sending His Son to the cross for my sake.  The Heavenly Father allowed His only Son to be beaten, mocked, crucified and killed – and those were only His physical sufferings.  Far more excruciating was the torment from the punishment for the sins of the world that He voluntarily bore.  I just cannot fathom the heartache of the Father as He watched His Son suffer.  May I daily grow in my appreciation that He did that so that I could be reconciled to Him, so that I would never have to suffer eternally.  No matter how difficult this life gets, no matter how many tears I shed over the pain of loved ones, I know that my suffering ends the moment I pass from death to eternal life – all because my punishment was borne by another. 

Do you, dear reader, know your sins forgiven?  God has accepted the sacrifice of His Son for your sake.  Have you? 

“O Christ, what burdens bowed Thy head!
Our load was laid on Thee;
Thou stoodest in the sinner’s stead,
Bear’st all my ill for me.
A Victim led, Thy blood was shed;
Now there’s no load for me.”

‘”Death and the curse were in our cup:
O Christ, ’twas full for Thee;
But Thou hast drained the last dark drop,
‘Tis empty now for me.
That bitter cup, love drank it up;
Now blessing’s draught for me.”

-Anne R. Cousin (1824-1906)

Side Effects

Thank you for your prayers for Susie.  She is still running a fairly high fever, but she’s acting more like herself today.  In fact, I think she’s starting to like the benefits that come from being sick.  I’ve been so thankful for her strong appetite that I’ve let her eat basically anything she wants – tonight she had three helpings of Chinese food, a half a pear, and a wedge of cheesecake.  I’ve let her play with any toys she desires, even if her sister is also eyeing the same object.  And I’ve let the girls watch far more television than usual.

I think they could get used to this.  

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Prayer Request

I don’t quite have the energy for a full post tonight, since Susie has been feverish and not herself today.  She’s not sleeping well right now, so I anticipate a rough night ahead and I think I’ll head to bed early to rest while I can.  Please pray that she feels better tomorrow, and that Becky stays healthy.   

Keeping an Eye Out

Becky (on left): “What do you think Dad is doing out there?”

Susie: “I don’t know, but I don’t think Elmo should be seeing this.”