Friends Return

Many of our international student friends have returned from summer travels and we've been able to reconnect. Mouna, our friend from Tunisia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunisia), came over today bearing gifts! Sophia received a pant and tunic outfit of deep purple with beautiful gold embelishments. I received a traditional dress. It is long and loose, a red shade with beautiful embroidery around the collar and sleeves. How generous and thoughtful! Our friend Rachel, from Taiwan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taiwan), returned from a trip to Chicago, where her aunt and uncle live. She came bearing Chinese candies. Sophia loved that! Our world grows smaller as the Lord blesses us with friends from all corners. Never pass up the chance to befriend someone from another corner of the world than where you reside. The richness you find will prove priceless.

~ "But, you will recieve power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and all Judea, and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth." Acts 1:8
~ "There is one body and one spirit, just also as you were called in one hope to your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all." Eph. 4:4-6

Blessings ~

Is she brilliant?

We like to think so. :) Tonight, as our friends Chas and Amy were taking their leave after having dinner with us, Sophia was acting distressed and pointing from the couch to Amy and back to the couch. After a moment, we figured out she was
pointing at Amy's hoodie that was being forgotten on the back of the couch! She knew they were leaving and were forgetting the hoodie. How smart is that? Okay, so never mind the fact that she also pulled a used q-tip from the trash this morning and had been rubbing it around in her ears, for I don't know how long, before I caught her and put a stop to it! Is she brilliant? You decide! :)

Soph-isms

~ Our sweet darling has been up to a lot this past weekend! The picture to the left was actually taken a couple of weeks ago with our good friend, Rachel. She is from Taiwan and is a good buddy to Sophia.
~ Friday, I think, after Jamie and I had been tickling Sophia, she apparently had not had enough. She leaned herself back on the couch and tickled her own ribs while laughing histerically.
~ This afternoon, after accidentally walking in on Daddy going pee pee, Soph ran over to her own potty chair, lifted the lid, stood in front of her potty, and proceeded to pretend to go pee pee like Daddy!
~ At church this morning, during our fellowship time, Sophia and her good buddy, Josh, ran to eachother, held hands and started walking around. It is so sweet to see them become friends!

When did my M&Ms run out?

When entering the land of Mommy Hood you only know that you are to love and train this child. You aren't really told the hows, the whys and the what to do ifs... (Enter right stage)
M &Ms and other such sweet delights. These bartering tools, better called, rewards, are used to teach the child that peeing and pooping in the potty, thus having dry pants, is FUN! The best part is, it works. Sophia is doing well, and enjoys every last M & M that comes her way upon completing the potty routine. So, my question remains, when did my M&Ms run out?

Mommy Hood

My sweet daughter, Sophia. Her develpment is just exploding lately, and Jamie and I have been having so much fun with it! Words, words and more words. Her vocabulary is expanding each moment of each day. Of course we think our daughter is incredible. :) Right now she is loving her Madeline video and even started saying 'Adaline.' Yesterday she had a very tender moment when her friend, Josh, was crying because I was running the vacuum. Sweet Josh is her best buddy and only 11 days her senior. I asked her to go to him to tell him it would be alright since he was upset with the vacuum on. She immediately went to him and literally held him until I stopped vacumming. Her spirit is really blooming tenderness right now and it gives me such hope into the young lady she may become.

Wearing her zebra costume from last year was her sport of choice yesterday. She discovered the tail and has since been pointing out all the tails on all of her animals. The mind is amazing - even at 21 months - connections, connections, connections!

If only she'd just stop biting me when she's angered at being told no! :) Whoever said the Hood of Mommy's was always glamerous? :)

The Family

Here we are at Lake Erie. This photograph was actually taken on the ferry ride from Kelly's Island back to the mainland.

Hedged In

So, for my first post I thought I'd explain the title of my Blog. It comes from my favorite passage in Scripture, Psalm 139. To think that my Lord has me hedged in from before and behind is such a comforting thought and brings me to such a place of peace. Anyways, I've really tried to visualize what that looks like lately; make it come alive for me and that is what inspired me to use it as the title here. I'd encourage you to take a trip through Psalm 139. Let the truths of the words wash over you and encourage you wherever you are.