A Post for My "Hannah Gracie"

Hannah Grace. I love that girl. A few words off the top of my head I would pick to describe her would be caring, gentle, and spunky! She is my little momma that LOVES her babies and is all about watching out for her little brother- whether it is feeding him, sharing her toys with him, or even tattling on him when she sees fit. She loves- period. And she is easy to love. Don't get me wrong- she has her moments and she can throw a real fit when she wants to!! But for the most part I am just so fortunate because she is such a well behaved little girl. I honestly know I can not know where she is for a good 10 minutes and not have a doubt in mind that she isn't doing something she's not supposed to. If she is quiet for a long time she is usually reading her books, tucking her babies in with her blankies, or watching a favorite cartoon (which we are totally into Veggie Tales these days). She almost always listens on the first (sometimes second if she's feeling testy) time I tell her no. In fact, the other day I had one of those mom moments where you sit and contemplate whether you want to tell your child no or whether you just want to "let that one slide". I had stripped the sheets off of our bed and I walked back into our room to hear Hannah's giggles and find this...

Jumping on the bed must be a natural born instinct, because no one that I know of has taught her this (unless, Ryan, there was something you wanted to tell me=) Seriously though, she was having a blast jumping up there on my bed and my 1st reaction was "uuhh." We weren't allowed to jump on the beds when we were kids and it's something I am not planning on allowing my kids to do either. So there I wrestled- to make her get down and spoil her fun that she was just so amused with because it's something I don't want to become a regular occurrence- or let her just this once indulge in something that for the most part- is relatively harmless, and that was such fun for someone who- well -doesn't get out much=) So I decided to not decide. I just quickly got the camera took a pic and smiled at her and shortly after she got down herself and hasn't tried it again since. Which is probably lucky for her because next time I probably won't be feeling so lenient!

Here was another really cute Hannah moment this past week. She, Bennett, and Blake were back in her closet the other morning, digging around. Blake has pulled all the hangers off the bottom rod and they were all over her floor. They are sometimes like little tornadoes through this house, leaving paths of destruction in every room. Well, later, I was feeding the boys lunch and hadn't heard Hannah in a while. I, again, wasn't too worried about her getting into trouble, but thought I would just go find her to see what she was up to. I finally found her in her room- in her closet to be more exact. She had picked up and rehung every hanger back on the rod and had cleared herself a little spot on a Rubbermaid drawer that sits on the floor and holds her shoes. She was sitting in there and had found a string to one of her dresses hanging above her. She was "choo chooing" with the string in her little imaginary train engine. I love seeing her really start to use her imagination in such a constructive little way. Her she is driving her train engine...

Here she is in her beautiful church coat Grandma Sheila got for her before church yesterday morning.

Ryan and I subbed in her Sunday school class and it was so fun to see her and how well she interacts with others and to see her in her favorite part- music time! She has all those motions down pat and is so in tune with what is going on. It really is amazing. Another thing I thought was funny while we were there- was while they were eating snack. We were talking with her Sunday school teacher (her favorite one and only Ms. Wanda) and talking about how they all have their ways of eating and their little personalities show threw something so little as that. One little boy would dump out his cookies on the table to get to the fish at the bottom. Another little boy would take his finger and dig the fish our from the bottom one by one. Then, I saw Hannah Grace. She was lining up her animal cookies along the table in a perfect line. Yes, that is so her, haha. She is my little neat freak, no mess, organizer!

Here she is taking her breathing treatment. I hate that they have to do this and it might have seemed bizarre to take a picture, but I was just so proud of how well she would do every time! I am fully aware that this doesn't "hurt" in any way- but trust me getting a two year old to sit still and keep this mask thing on there face for 15 minutes, it's not easy for them! And she always does so good- she doesn't necessarily always want to, but she always sticks it out. She's a trooper!

So Hannah, I hope you know we love everything about you! And don't get me wrong, let's not put you up on too much of a pedestal here- you can be a sassy little stinker (its seems you do ahve a little bit of your mom in you), but for the most part, to me, you are just the epitome of a sweet little girl, and I can't wait to get to be a part of the woman you are going to become!

I read this prayer a few weeks ago that was written by Amy Carmichael and it was just one of those moments of "wow!" It was everything my heart wants to pray for my children but that my elementary brain could never express so well, so this is my prayer for BOTH my wonderful children.

Dear God, make them good soldiers of Jesus Christ. Let them never turn back in days of battle. Let them be winners and helpers of souls; let them, live not to be ministered to, but to minister. Make them loyal; let them set loyalty high above all things. Make them doers, not mere talkers. Let them enjoy hard work and choose hard things rather than easy. Make them trustworthy; make them wise for it is written: God has no pleasure in fools. Let them pass from dependence on us, to dependence on Thee. Let them never come under the dominion of earthly things; keep them free. Let them grow up healthy, happy, friendly, and keen to make others happy. Give them eyes to see the beauty of the world, and hearts to worship its Creator. Let them be gentle to beast and bird; let cruelty be hateful to them. May they walk, O Lord, in the light of Thy countenance. And for ourselves we ask, that we might never weaken. God is my strong salvation. We ask that we might train them to say that word, and live that life, and pour themselves out for others, unhindered by self.

AMEN!