Here are the top ten most-read posts of 2013. If you have liked, shared, commented on, or pinned any of these best-loved posts, I am grateful! Thank you!
I remember. I was at a benefit spaghetti dinner. It was my sophomore year of college.
The guest of honor ruined my life.
Well, that's not entirely true. She ruined the life I was building for myself.
A life lived for me. by me. in my own power.
__________________
Sarah was eight years old. exhausted and weary in body. but full of confidence and an expectant spirit.
and her boldness and joy in our short conversation
has made all the difference in my life.
A life that is now lived for Jesus. by Jesus. in His power alone.
It's a story only the Lord could write.
Sarah's body failed her 12 years ago. tonight. at the precious age of 8. I remember. Every time I hold one of my sweet daughters, I remember. Every time we celebrate Hannah's birthday (October 27), I remember. I tell my girls, often, the story of the little girl that God worked through to rescue me. And I pray over them and for myself, that He will work through our lives however He chooses to bring many others to know His great love. Even though I understand what that cost might be, as their mom.
I rejoice for her, because she got the longing of her heart. She shared this passage with me as she talked about not being able to wait to meet Jesus face to face:
“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.
{John 14:1-3}
How is it that God can take something so evil - so wretched - as a terminal illness and create beauty and life from it? I don't know! But I do know that He can, and He does.
What's your story? How did the Lord reach out to you?
A young man with a big beard and the most amazing grin I'd ever seen.
He remarked that he really liked my shoes, because they were bowling shoes. Real ones.
We hung out for a few hours with a small group of mutual friends,
played a ridiculously terrible game of pool,
and he assured me that he lost "in order to impress the ladies", which had to have been me,
since I was the only single lady in the group.
Single, because I'd just told my roommate that I'd sworn off dating at least for a whole year.
Fall semester 2000 - freshman year
13 years ago,
that young man called me up and asked me
if he had a girlfriend.
That was his way of asking me out, I think. I answered yes,
and his reply was "Thanks!"...and then he hung up on me.
He was no ordinary young man,
and my life has not had a moment of ordinary from that moment on.
Except for 15 minutes (when we broke up) in the spring of 2002,
(and then decided we'd try to make it work),
we've been together ever since.
That's almost half of our lifetimes.
Through the years. :)
I know my life would look vastly different had the Lord chosen another path for me.
And with all the work the Lord has done in my heart,
and the way He has been patience and gracious with each of us,
I would not dream of it being any different... not one moment.
Happy 13th (dating) anniversary, Will. I'm really glad you made that phone call.
My love is not perfect,
but I'm thankful that God is perfecting it by letting me love you.
You are the second most precious gift the Lord has ever given me
(after my salvation through Jesus!!),
and I will praise Him forever for that. Even on the hardest days.
Love,
Lisha
PS Can I just have one more moondance with you, my love?
This is a note I wrote on 6/18/2009. I was reminded of it tonight as the girls & I played out in the rain:
---------------------------- My girls love to be outside. Love it. It doesn't matter what is going on; snowstorm, sunshine, downpour, etc (we haven't tested things like hurricanes, cyclones, or earthquakes, but I'm willing to bet they'd love it for a couple minutes until they got carried away!).
We were outside playing in the rain today and as I was watching them, and playing with them, I was thinking about some of the more unpleasant times Will & I have had in the last 6 months or so. The "storms of life," if you will. How many times do we come into a storm in life (financial crisis, death of a loved one, etc) complaining and moaning about how bad things are, worrying about how much worse they'll get, crying "why me?" I'm not saying these emotions and doubts are bad, but we seem to psychologically prepare ourselves to be miserable for the long haul (at least, I do!).
I watched my girls embrace the rainstorm. They didn't care about how cold and wet they were. They didn't worry about how they were going to have to change their clothes when we got inside. They just enjoyed the time in the storm, in the safe and comforting presence of Mom & Dad, feeling the rain soaking them, taking it all in with joy. And that's how God wants us to enter the storms that He allows us to go through...His Word tells us to count it all joy when we go through various trials (James 1:something). Embrace the storm with open arms. Look for what you have to learn from it. Know that God sends us these times to grow our character, and know that He is present to comfort us and keep us close! Just as He does not waste rainy days (He sends the rain to help the crops grow!), He does not waste our painful times - He sends them to help us grow, too.
If you are going through various trials, be encouraged. Embrace the storm! And trust in the God who controls the storm!
5 travel bags (most of which are full of food & diapers)
4 weeks
3 girls
and
1 tired/thrilled mom?
A 2012Very Hunter Summer Road Trip, that's what!!
Our route!
We left town on July 19th and did not get home until August 15th. The girls & I visited friends and family in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, New Jersey, and Connecticut. There were many sweet memories and fun & impromptu field trips. There were some unexpected delays in travel (severe rain, a full-blown diaper disaster in the carseat, construction, a logging truck accident, and getting lost in both DC & NYC, among others...).
Quiet reading time with my cousins in VT!
I got to reminisce with dear high school and college friends, stay up late with cousins, aunts & uncles I don't get to see often, and to meet a online friend for real! We got to worship the Lord with dear brothers & sisters in northern Vermont and southern Pennsylvania. The girls did a little exploring in the cold ocean waters in Maine and swam in the warm ocean waters of Virginia Beach. They got to ride 4-wheelers with Grandaddy, go kayaking with Grammy & Grampy, and pick their own fresh fruits and veggies from Gram's very own garden. We rode a coal train in PA with Will's Gram. Feeding worms was a hit; painting birdhouses with Auntie Kimm was too; so was playing with all kinds of new toys at other friends' houses. We ate a lot of chicken nuggets and pizza and hot dogs (no complaints at all from the taste-testing department...!) It was a lovely, memorable, exhausting, so-glad-I-did-it-but-it'll-take-a-while-before-I'm-ready-to-drive-on-the-highway-again kind of trip!
E &A, in Casco Bay ME
I had a lot of time to think. Driving between 3-6 hours in between most stops with girls mostly content in the back seats left plenty of opportunities to pray and to listen to the Lord. I thought, initially, that this trip was going to be a 'school on the road' type opportunity for the girls and that it would be a chance for us to catch up with so many people that we don't see often enough.
Ready to head out on the road...again!
But that's not all the Lord had in store for us. It did happen that by the time we got home, I felt like we'd been doing school for about a month already :) and I did get to catch up with people who are so dear to my heart. And in the midst of all of that, here are some lessons the Lord had for me:
*I don't like not knowing where I am, or where I'm going. Jesus kept reminding me of the verse I have over my kitchen sink at home to calm my nervous heart (especially in Washington DC and New York City - eeeek, of all places to be lost!): Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. [Joshua 1:9] Wherever I go. Even in a city I'm not familiar with. Even on Pennsylvania Avenue (which is where we ended up on accident in DC!). No matter where I am, physically or spiritually - Jesus is with me wherever I go. I need not be afraid! There is such freedom in that truth!
This...is not where I was supposed to be!
...neither was this. Impromptu national history lesson with a captive audience in the back rows!
*As much as I wanted to minister to other people, He used them powerfully to minister to me in ways that I couldn't have imagined. I got to wash dishes and fold laundry and hold babies and do a few other tasks for the families I stayed with, thinking I was being so helpful; and in return, I was challenged, encouraged, and built up in my faith in Christ!
The girls adore their Grandaddy! At Hunter Farm in VA
Hanging out in the "hampster" (hammock...) at Mr. Tim & Miss Ashley's!
*Life is too short to wait until there's enough time and/or money. There are so many reasons why it seemed like a bad idea to take a 12-year-old rickety Windstar on the road by myself with three little girls with only a few hundred dollars in cash. I had a list of things I could have spent that money on: paying down debt, ordering homeschooling books, putting it in savings, etc. But the trip was so very worth every moment and every dollar spent. I am thankful that Will encouraged me to go!!
Enjoying a beautiful afternoon with Nana (Will's Gram!) just before taking a ride on the coal train in PA.
*I have a lot to learn from other people - especially when they believe differently than I do! I know this seems like it should be a no-brainer, but sometimes it's easy for me to forget. Paul went to Athens to preach, but he wasn't ignorant of the Greek culture and belief systems there. Listening to the whys and hows of different beliefs broadens my perspective. It strengthened my faith to be challenged by hearing about other religions and by being asked honest and hard questions about my own beliefs!
FRESH raspberries from Gram's garden!
* Life in NH can continue without me. Whoa! This was a hard lesson for my ego. I'm so used to being involved in different capacities outside our home. And what a refreshing reminder for my soul that it is the Lord who is in charge, not me! He is perfectly capable of guiding things quite well in my absence (and, incidentally, when I'm around!). He gently reminded me that my main priority right now is the care and keeping of my family, and that some outside ministry opportunities can wait for another season!
Chillin' at Grammy & Grampy Lane's cabin in ME!
*Will is still my best friend. After being on the road for a month without him, and spending time with friends, relatives - some of whom I consider very close to me - I realized that even my closest friends do not know me as well as he does after all these years (12! wowee!). If something came up that reminded me of Will, and I thought "oh! He'd think that was funny/cute/ridiculous/whatever", ...I'd miss being able to turn to him right away and say that. By the time I left our last stop I had butterflies in my tummy and I was so giggly and just wanted to get home to him and share everything about the last month and hear all about how he had been. After 8 years of being married and having 3 kids, it's really easy to forget that hey, we used to like just hanging out and being around each other and that we were friends before we were husband & wife. It was sweet to be reminded of that.
At the welcome center in PA! Smile!
Before we left for the trip, I was terrified by the what-ifs. What if we break down? What if we run out of money? What if one of the girls gets sick? etc. But Will encouraged me to go, and I'm so glad that he did.
Virginia Beach!
What if I hadn't? I would have missed out on sweet conversations, treasured memories, and the lessons that God had for me out on the road.
Feeding the worms at Mr. Iain & Miss Erin's house!!
What discoveries & lessons have you made on your travels & journeys?
Every year, around this time, I take a moment (or two. or lots) to reflect on how it is that I've become the woman I am.
This year, I don't really know what to say that I haven't already written before. It's not for a lack of reflecting; it's just that most of what I would say has already been poured out. The only thing that has changed between all the years past and this one is now, it's been 10 years since Sarah entered God's rest and is celebrating Christmas with Jesus. And what change God can affect over the course of a decade!! My life is not what I thought it would be; but through God's grace and the power of a child's faith I am right where I need and want to be.
I want to share what I've written before, in case you've never read or heard about how it is that I decided to follow Jesus.
I'm so thankful for God's abundant grace and the depth of His mercy. My heart's deepest desire is to live like I mean it, that you would want to follow Him, too!
By His grace,
and for His glory!
~Lisha
Everyone who has believed in the Lord Jesus Christ has a story of how He saves to the uttermost...
Abbyism: (Ab-bee-iz-m): N. Funny quote of the day by Abby.
I have three beautiful daughters, each talented in her own way. Elizabeth (age 5) is a wonderful artist. Hannah (8 months) is really flexible and can screech at decibel levels that can put a jet to shame. Abby (almost 4) is hilarious, whether she knows it or not.
For a while, I've been posting Abbyisms on Facebook. Friends have been suggested that I compile the hilarity and save it for when Abby is older. So, today, I'm going to post as many as I can find. Enjoy the talent of my middle daughter - the one and only Abby Hunter, comedienne extraordinaire. [Once in a while, Elizabeth makes an appearance, too!] ---------- Abby: Mom, why are you feeding Hannah chocolate pudding? That is crazy! Me: It's not pudding - it's prunes. Abby: Naaaaah. Prunes aren't THAT good. And she really likes it!! It IS pudding. ---------- Abby: This is a message from the Lord!
Elizabeth: ...and it will self-destruct in 30 minutes.
Abby: This is the message: "the Jonah plush toy says 'a message from the Lord...a message from the Lord...a message from the Lord...'...it keeps repeating! ---------- Abby: You know, I feel much better. My belly feels better after throwing up all over Daddy! ---------- Me: If you feel like your body is telling you it's time to go potty...then go to the bathroom and sit on the potty.
Abby: Mom (laughs)...my bum doesn't have a mouth. It can't tell me anything! You're so silly. ---------- Elizabeth: I'm going to be 6 on my birthday!
Abby: oh, I don't want to be 6, ever.
Elizabeth: How come? Then you can be older like me!
Abby: Well, I've heard than when you get old like THAT, you die. ---------- Abby: Mom, can I have a little sugar on my cereal like you put on your cheerios?
Me: No, Abby...cocoa krispies don't really need any extra sugar. :D ---------- Abby: Wow. Samson probably ate a lot of protein when he was a little boy. He was really strong with really big muscles!!
Elizabeth: Yeah. Let's eat protein! ---------- Elizabeth: I'm going to write a story about the Adventure of me, BathingSuit Girl...and her mom and dad, who live in New Hampshire.
Abby: And her sisters!
Me: What's your superhero name, Abs?
Abby: Uhhh...Mom, I don't need a superhero name. I'm Abby. Forever. ---------- Abby (upon discovering the box of Cocoa Krispies): Mom, someone was silly and made Rice Kripsies with CHOCOLATE all over them! (slight contemplative pause) Who in the whole wide world who think of that?! ---------- Abby (throwing her arms around me): I caught you! You'll never escape now! I got you now for the rest of your life!
Me (escaping): Ha! I'm getting away!
Abby (dropping her arms. serious face): Mom. You are not doing a good job of escaping the way I think you should. Try again. ---------- Abby: Hannah, you are such a happy baby. You are a happy baby, indeed! You're so soft and cuddly and cutie and lovely....and pink! Just right for kissing! ---------- Elizabeth: MOMMMMMMMMMMM! Abby just pushed me over!
Abby: I did not push you, Elizabeth - I was just helping you get out of my way faster. Mom, I didn't push her. I was only helping.
Elizabeth: But I was on the stairs! ---------- Abby (upon coming downstairs, placing hands on hips, exhasperated): Mom, you need to clean this kitchen. It is filthy! ---------- Elizabeth: Now God told Abraham to go to Jerusalem, and God told Moses to go to Egypt, and then blah blah blah blah.
Abby: We should, like, read some Scripture to figure out the rest of what He said.
Elizabeth: Then it says God told Jonah to go to Nineveh, but he didn't listen.
Abby: Yeah - Jonah got EATEN BY A BIG FISH! People threw him overboard!
Elizabeth: That's what Scripture says! Yeeeeeeeah Scriptures! ---------- Elizabeth: MOM! There are 2 bugs under the table!
Abby: SMASH IT!!
Elizabeth: I tried to smash them, but they...they won't let me smash them at all, they keep running away.
Abby: Just come up behind them and give them a little smashy-smash. They don't belong in the house! ---------- Abby: If all the fruit in the world were oranges...how would we find apples? ---------- Abby: When my boogers feel wet, but then they come out, I feel better. I'll take my boogers out now. Watch! *proceeds to stick her finger up her nose to 'take her boogers out*
Me: covering face, laughing uncontrollably
Abby: hahaha, Mom...what's funny?
Will: Mom is laughing because she's had a silly day.
Me: ahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha..... ---------- Elizabeth: Mom! Come here! Come see...come to the living room!
Abby: Actually, Mom.........don't. Just, don't. ---------- Elizabeth: Hannah is Daddy's princess. So am I and so is Abby.
Abby: If we are Daddy's little princesses...mommy, you must be Grampy's little princess! ---------- Abby [waving a stick madly in the air, then throwing it and running wildly in a big circle with arms waving]: I did it! I did it!! I WON THE BASEBALL GAAAAAAAAAAAME!! YAYYYYYYYY ME!!! ---------- Abby: I think that God is quiet when He speaks.
Me: Why do you think that?
Abby: Because He's so way, way up high that it sounds quiet when He talks.
Me: And what do you think He says?
Abby: He says "Obey", in just a whisper. ---------- Hannah: *wipes her food all over her face with her hands and spits out her cereal all over herself*
Abby: Hannah...that is Yuck-o McStuck-o! Gross me gross me out!! ---------- Abby: If a car came up off the street and caught up with me while I was walking it would smush me. And you'd probably be sad. And if it smushed all of us girls, which is three, you'd have three really smushed girls on your hands!! Haha...we'd be smushy!! But you don't want that, Mom! ...aaaand it would be hard to smush Hannah in her stroller anyways. ---------- Abby: Mom, some butterflies can also be called 'cheese'.
Me: Cheese?
Abby: Yeah. Some butterflies are white with spots. Like cheese. And they have really big soft wings....also, I can't find Hannah's binky. Can we have a drink of water when we get home? ---------- Abby: Mom, I was just being encouraging to Hannah!
Me: Oh yeah?
Abby: Yeah! I told her that she's a REALLY good pooper! ---------- Elizabeth and Abby are playing "Bible House":
Abby: Hi. I'd like to order a Bible. A special one called the "Thank You Jesus Study Bible".
Elizabeth: Ok. Would you like a Bible for your cat?
Abby: Oh yeah. Good idea. She'd like a "Thank You Jesus Study Bible" too. It's my favorite one! ---------- Abby: The bread that Jesus ate, you know...with his disciples at His supper? I'm pretty sure it was a bagel. But without the hole in the middle. Bagels are kind of like bread, mom. Did you know that? ---------- Abby: Can we watch the Jesus movie with the dragon in it?
Me: ...dragon?
Abby: Yeah. It's got singing, and Jesus, and dragons. And rocks. And marshmallows. And kids.
Me: ... ---------- [overheard during playtime with princess dolls]
Elizabeth: Ahhh! Help us! The youth pastor is stuck in the baptismal!
Abby: Oh, no! ...but wait! We don't have a youth pastor! Or a baptismal!
**maniacal laughter** ---------- Elizabeth: Abby, we have to pick up all these popcorn pieces and put them in the bag.
Abby (highly distressed): Elizaaaaabetthhh NOOOOO! If...if you throw away the popcorn seeds, how are we going to grow more popcorn?! ---------- Elizabeth: We play pretend when we don't have the real thing to play with - like fireworks, for instance. We usually have pretend fireworks. ---------- Abby: Mom, I told Elizabeth I want to play by myself. I like playing by myself. But...I don't like to be left alone when I'm playing by myself! Elizabeth keeps leaving me alone - that is not a kind thing to do! ---------- Abby: Hell is not really a fun place. Or a very special place...but Dunkin' Donuts, now THAT is a fun and special place... ---------- Elizabeth: Mom, I'm having a hard time remembering how old I was when I was little. ---------- Elizabeth (getting her own breakfast this morning): Don't worry, Mom! This cereal I'm pouring has PLENTY of added sugar in it for me! ---------- Tonight...at dinner:
Abby: Mom, I know how they make chicken nuggets...
Me (under my breath): Oh, Abby, you have no idea.
Abby: ...first they take the empty nuggets, open them up, and shove the smashed chicken inside and close 'em up! Then you cook them...and they are tasty! ---------- Will: Elizabeth, when you were born, you were a chocolate bunny.
Elizabeth: (giggling) No!
Abby: ...and when I was born, I didn't come with anything at all - except I was born with some baby toys! ---------- Abby: you can smash a turkey, and then eat the turkey that comes out. turkey comes from turkeys. ---------- Abby: Let's go make a giant pile of sticks on the lawn!
Me: ...sounds like a plan, Abs...
Abby: ...so we can light a FIRE on the grass!!! ---------- Abby: I know how they make gummy worms, Dad! They take the real worms, scoop out the insides, fill them with gummy stuff, and paint them lots of colors! And they're SOOOO tasty! ---------- Abby: I am a superhero. I am....
...COMPASSGIRL!!! ---------- Abby (running into the kitchen): Mom, there's a big, scary, terrible monster in the living room!
Me: Does it have a name?
Abby: Daddy! ---------- Elizabeth: You should just start dressing Hannah in brown all the time. That way, the leaky poops would all be camouflaged and you wouldn't have to change her clothes so much... ---------- Abby: "You know, we should go back to that hotel we stayed at one time - the one with the pool? ...I bet they'd reeeeeally like to see us again today." ---------- Me: Hannah, let's go do some dishes!
"Hannah" [Abby speaking in a high-pitched 'baby' voice from behind Hannah]: But, Mom! I can't do the dishes because I'm just a little baby! ---------- Abby: If a stranger tries to do something bad to you, it's okay to yell loud. If a stranger tries to whack you on the head, it's okay to yell at them. If you're ever in a cave, and a stranger walks in, and then they try to do something bad, it's okay to yell at them. And if you ever see a troll, it is definitely okay to yell. Unless mom and dad are with you, then you shouldn't be yelling at the troll. ---------- Abby: Goliath...he's kind of like Satan. He's really mean. He likes to fight a lot. And he is disobedient to God. I don't think he was a very good guy. We...(shakes head)...we shouldn't be like Goliath. ---------- Abby (climbing up into my lap): I missed you so much when you were at the hospital and I was at Grammy & Grampy's house. ...but it's okay because now we're all back together again. *snuggles her head on my shoulder* I love you, Mom. ---------- As I'm straightening up the kitchen and making breakfast, Abby is reading to Hannah about Cinderella and her "fairly goodmother" ---------- Elizabeth: was Miss Elysia praying for me?...and Miss Merri?...and Mr Dave & Miss Katie...? ...and...(this went on for a while)
Abby: I'm pretty sure you mean EVERYBODY was praying for you Elizabeth!! ---------- We are home ♥ Elizabeth is sleeping soundly, and she's able to eat finally! And Abby let us know that she & Grammy bought some "Smackey Whacks" cereal at the store - turns out, after much guessing, that she meant "Honey Smacks". Oh, my dear Abby, your comic relief is well received :D ---------- Abby: I love Hannah because she's my sister. But now I want a brother. We should have a brother soon. ---------- Abby just used the phrase "Binky McBinkelstein". :P ---------- Abby: Mom?
Me: Yes, Abs?
Abby: I don't have any cash to give you.
Me: That's okay.
Abby: ...but I do have poops in my diaper for you. ---------- we were going over "words that start with D" at supper tonight. on the list: dog. door. drinking. dry. drawing. daddy. duckling. droids.
...droids. someone's been teaching my daughters about star wars, and it's not me! ---------- (overheard during playtime)
Abby: Quick, we have to clean up our bedroom!
Elizabeth: ...yeah, quick! Before Mom gets all disgruntled about it. ---------- Abby (making a loud announcement): I want to start being aministry!
Elizabeth: what does that mean?
Abby: It means...you're make sure you're wearing the right shoes when you leave the house!
I can't continue typing the conversation, because I'm laughing so hard I'm crying...although I just heard someone yell, "I don't want to be perpetual!" ---------- I went into the kitchen for a moment. I heard Hannah coughing:
Me: Is Hannah okay, girls?
Elizabeth: Yeah...
Abby: ...yeah Mom don't worry, she's just choking!
Elizabeth: She's okay! It's just choking on her own two hands!!!
*no Hannahs were actually choking in the making of this post, just trying to eat both hands at the same time. which, apparently, doesn't work.*
...and a few minutes later:
Elizabeth: MOM! I tried letting her chew on the hammer, but it's okay, she really doesn't want it!
Me: ?! ...hammer?
Abby: ...the red & blue hammer [AKA the plastic toy hammer]!! ---------- Elizabeth: I had a good day. ...I AM going to still be 5 tomorrow, right?
Me: Yep, you'll be 5 all year, till you turn 6.
Elizabeth: Yeah. And then I'll be as big as you! That's so cool. ---------- Me (after giving tubbies): Abby, you smell so clean!
Abby: Mom, you just smell! ---------- Abby: It's mine!
Elizabeth: It's mine!
Abby: It's MINE!!
Elizabeth: It's MIIIIIINE!
Abby: No, Elizabeth, it's MINE! Elizabeth: It's OURS!
Abby: ...then you should probably be sharing it with me.
Elizabeth: *stares, speechless. gives Abby toy. walks away.* ---------- Conversation in the bathtub this afternoon:
Abby: It's mine!
Elizabeth: It's mine!
Abby: ...it's...ours. Elizabeth: Yeah!
Abby: ...so you should be sharing with me.
Elizabeth: Mom...! ---------- When Abby sneezes, she says, "Oh, God bless me!"
When Abby burps, she has started saying "Oh...God excuse me!!" :P ---------- Abby, to Elizabeth (after E did something she wasn't supposed to do): Uh, Elizabeth, I think you've just been...CONSEQUENCED!! ---------- Elizabeth: (takes an animal cracker and snaps the legs off) Doctor! Helllllp! My animal needs an x-ray, quick!
Abby: (aka: the doctor) ...uh, I can tell this just by looking. His legs are broken. ---------- Elizabeth: let's have a really fancy dinner by smashing these rice krispies into bits!
Abby: no. that's just a fancy lunch...*adds a handful of craisins*...NOW it's a fancy dinner!
Elizabeth: yay! what's for fancy dessert?
Abby: regular rice krispies. and dog food! ---------- Abby (to Hannah): I'm glad you are my sister. Because that is just what I wanted when you were born!! ---------- Abby: Daddy, don't put the horse before the cart! That's what you told us!
...pretty sure he didn't put it quite that way. since that way makes sense. ---------- Abby: When you kill a chicken, you get beans that you can eat. Because chickens eat beans for food. ---------- (overheard while playing with Abby)
Elizabeth: I don't make fun of people, I just have fun with people. Things are a lot nicer that way. ---------- Abby: You know mom, if we all wore kitty costumes into the jungle, the tigers would like us. ...(pouty face) but...if we didn't wear the kitty costumes, the tigers...they just wouldn't like us. And that's kind of sad. ---------- Abby: This juice you got is really yummy Mom; I just don't like the taste of it at all! ---------- Abby: Look, here's the prince (as she puts her disney-prince-action-figure into the splits, almost ripping his legs off)! He's balleting.
Me: (cringing at how uncomfortable 'balleting' looks) Balleting?
Abby: Yeah, balleting. ALL princes know just how to ballet. My prince knows how to ballet. He's somewhere. ---------- Elizabeth: Here Abby - I got you a present!
Abby: I see that you got me a camera - but, what I was really hoping for was a box with sticks of butter in it. ---------- Abby: Mom, I'm sure glad it's not called ham-booger. That'd be really gross spaghetti sauce! But it's really called hambuRger. ---------- While changing Hannah this morning, the older girls went into the kitchen and were quiet...too quiet. Upon entering the kitchen, I was told by Abby: "Surprise! We didn't get you a present we could wrap with paper, but we gave you the present of cleaning up the kitchen for you!" They had cleaned off the table and the counters, swept the floor and put away their toys! ---------- abby: here mom, i'll help you clean up dinner. (grabs a slice of green pepper and waves it around vigorously while shouting "clean, clean, clean, clean, clean!) there, now the house is allll clean! ---------- Elizabeth: If you can't share and you don't know how to love people, your life will be in the saddest place. ---------- Abby: Mom...if it looks like two V's, why is it called a double-U [W] ?
Me: ...I...don't know...
Abby: It's a double-V. ---------- Abby: Mom, your baby keeps crying. What's-her-name. What's her name again?
Me: Hannah?
Abby: Um, yeah. Hannah. She's crying again. ---------- Elizabeth: When you kill a pig and cut it open, pork chops fall out.
Abby: I don't really like pork chops.
Elizabeth: ...and ham.
Abby: Oooh, I like ham.
Elizabeth: ...and bacon. Abby: I LOVE bacon!!
Elizabeth: ...AND sausage!!
Abby: Yay! Sausage! ---------- Abby: Don't forget, we need to pray before we eat!
Me: Yep. Do you know why it's important?
Abby: Yeah! 'Cause if we don't pray, then we can't eat!! ---------- Abby: Wow, that Pastor Brent, he really talks about Jesus a LOT! ...is that because he loves Jesus?! ---------- Abby, singing/playing with the little people navitity set:
"Oh wisemen, you are blessed three;
Oh wisemen, you come to visit me;
Oh wisemen, it's your destin-EEEEEEEEEEE!!
Mom, I made three big rhyming words!" Me: *speechless* ---------- abby: mom, i was yankin' today!
mom [curiously]: yankin' on what?
abby: no, mom...yankin' is the new spanish word for nappin'.
Me: ...oh. ---------- Will: [as Hannah is trying to eat Elizabeth's hand]: Hannah! Sisters aren't for eating!
Abby: Yeah, Hannah...but Moms and Dads are. ---------- Abby: I'm ready with all I'll ever need, Mom! Princess shoes, a bracelet, and my laptop! ---------- ...Elizabeth just asked for a big bowl full of Jumping Jacks cereal.
I hope Apple Jacks is good enough for her, because that's all we have! :D ---------- abby informed will this morning that "flurry" is the spanish word for "car". makes the weather forecast just a tad more interesting... ---------- Elizabeth [to Abby]: ...you might think it's a good idea to eat other people, but really it's not. ---------- Elizabeth: Mom, while I was sleeping I had a BIG booger in my nose, so I just [makes picking motion].
Me: ...and...what did you do with it after it came out?
Elizabeth: I don't know! It just disappeared! I couldn't find it anywhere... ---------- Me: Abby, I really like that dress you're wearing.
Abby: Well, gosh, I hope so! You picked it out and put me into it! You shouldn't have to say things like that! ---------- on Abby's grocery list today:
*spaghettios,
*waffles,
*yogurt, and
*camel food.
you know, for the camel. and upon inquiry, i learned that camels eat the spaghettios with dora on the can.... ---------- Also: Abs asked me to sing the dumpster poem today. I asked her which one that was, because I've never sang a dumpster poem before, to which she responded:
"...you know, humpster dumpster sat on a wall..."
and I couldn't answer because I was laughing too hard!! ---------- Elizabeth just got done explaining to Abby why we don't drive to PA in the winter: We can't go to Pennsylvania when it's snowing because then Mom might crash the van, and we'd have to walk there...and it would take one hour to walk to Gram's. We'd be pretty tired! :) ---------- Abby: Mom, do you have another baby in your belly yet?
Me [caught slightly off-guard]: ...Nope!
Abby: Well, when you do, it will probably be a brother. Then another brother. How about a sister? Then I could have more sisters and brothers! ---------- The memory verse for the girls this week: God loves a cheerful giver. [2 Cor. 9:7]
Abby's attempt today at lunchtime: "God loves a cheerful sinner!" ---------- Elizabeth: Mom, my foot is all tingly and it hurts to move it.
Me: Maybe your foot is asleep - were you sitting on it for a long time?
Abby: [puzzled look on her face] Uh. Mom, if Elizabeth's foot is asleep, you need to come over and wake it up. ---------- Abby: Mom, I'm really glad your head doesn't fit into your cocoa mug. ---------- Abby: Mom, what animal eats lettuce?
Me: A bunny.
Abby: Nope. A giraffe. What animal eats grass?
Me: A cow.
Abby: Nope. A zebra. What animal drinks lemonade? Me: I don't know. Which one?
Abby [chuckling]: Oh mom, I'm just joking! No animals really drink lemonade!! ---------- Me: Girls, it's time to get ready for bed! Brush your teeth, but don't take too long please!
Abby [with two thumbs up]: You got it, Momma!
♥
Also:
Elizabeth: if your body fell off...you wouldn't really have a body. you'd just be a head with a neck.
[true.] ---------- Will [attempting to tell a joke]: Knock knock!
Abby: Come on in! ---------- Me: Poor Hannah! I can hear you crying even though the doors to the van are all closed! (after getting all the groceries in the car)
Abby [from the back seat, barely audible]: Gosh, Mom, that's 'cause you have ears...*sigh in disbelief* ---------- Abby: Elizabeth, you're the crazy one here.
Me: ...are you crazy, Abby?
Abby: I'm not crazy. I'm no fun. ---------- Abby: ...I'm pretty sure it's lunch o'clock, Mom. I'm hungry right now! ---------- Abby: Wow, Elizabeth, thanks so much for not pushing me down the stairs this time! That's a really kind choice you made.
Elizabeth: You're very welcome! ---------- Abby decided yesterday that she wanted to wrap up some toys and give them to her friends from church.
The toys she picked were all Elizabeth's presents from Christmas.
Oh, my sweet Abby. So generous...with your sister's stuff. ---------- Me: Do you want an oatmeal chocolate chip cookie?
Abby: No. I don't like them.
Me: What about them don't you like?!
Abby: They have oatmeal.
Me: And you don't like oatmeal? Abby: I only like those cookies on Fridays. ...What month is it?
Me: January.
Abby: Only on Fridays in September. ---------- Abby [throwing her arms around me]: You're my favorite mom, ever! I love you!
Me [savoring the sweet moment. until...]
Abby: ...and I really LOVE candy! [Runs over to Elizabeth, who is handing out Pez candies...] ---------- Abby: Mom, I'm making a shepherd's pie just like you!
Me: What's in your shepherd's pie?
Abby: Chocolate chips. ...and meatballs. Pepperoni. Bananas. ...and blueberries!
...maybe she's not *quite* ready to be in charge of making supper yet. ---------- Abby: Mom, do you know what God calls it when we're mean and unkind to each other? The Bible says it comes from our angryness. But we should choose to be kind and not rude. ---------- Elizabeth: [playing with their new dolls]...and then the Daddy will drive us to the...
Abby: No. No. Daddys don't drive cars. Mommys drive cars. Daddys have moustaches and beards and Mommys have eyelashes. ---------- Abby (looking out the window this morning): SNOW!!! YAY!!!!! ...now, Christmas can come!! ---------- Elizabeth: I'm going to be a mom when I grow up.
Abby: Yeah, and I'm going to be a dad.
Me: You can't be a dad, Abs, you're a girl...and
Abby (interrupting): ...well, if I can't be a dad, I'm just going to have to be a dentist. ---------- Abby: Hannah is small. She's smaller than me, Elizabeth, Daddy, you, and the Christmas tree... ---------- As Elizabeth & Abby were playing with the nativity set this afternoon, I overheard Elizabeth telling Abby that Mary should go rescue Joseph from Egypt before he got "emanstricated." I don't even know what that means, but I'm glad that Joseph was, indeed, rescued in time. ...where do kids come up with this stuff?!? ---------- overheard during playtime today:
Abby: YAY!! A customer came in the store! It's what I've always wanted for Christmas!! ---------- Abby (Wiseman #1): Let's go see the baby Jesus!
Elizabeth (Wiseman #2): Sure! But before we go, let's stop at Dunkin' Donuts.
Abby (WM1): OOOOH yeah! And we'll all get a chocolate milk and a donut! And munchkins for our trip! The camel likes donuts. Where are we, anyway?
Elizabeth (WM2): Egypt. AAAAH! Let's not go into Egypt...
Abby (WM1): Yeah. Our animals can't go to Egypt. Animals don't belong in Egypt! ---------- (playing with the nativity set)
Elizabeth [Mary]: Hello, Angel Gabriel! It's great that you're here! I really like your dress!
Abby [Angel Gabriel]: Uh, thanks. But it's not a dress. It's a robe. ---------- (playing with the nativity set)...
Elizabeth [Wiseman #1]: ...and what is this baby's name?
Abby [Mary]: Um, we named him Baby Jesus. What did you bring him as a present?
Elizabeth [Wiseman #2]: Frankincense!
Abby [Mary]: OOOH!! I just LOVE frankincense! Thanks wiseman! *breaks into 'joy to the world'* ...Oh, please don't step on Him. He doesn't really like to be smooshed! ---------- Elizabeth: I couldn't be a ballerina. I can't do ballet.
Me: Why?
Elizabeth: Because there's just no way that I could lift one leg up THAT high over my face and then stand on tippy-toes with the other leg. *shrugs in sadness* ---------- Abby: "It's not a juice moustache...it's...a JUICESTACHE!!" ---------- Abby: "Guess what I am. I'm an animal that woofs! Mom, guess."
Me: "A puppy."
Abby: "Yep! Good job, Mom! You did it!"
...game continues in like manner for about ten minutes...
Abby: "Guess what I am. I'm an animal that likes to get my face dirty. Mom, guess." Me: "...?? A pig?"
Abby: "No, Mom. COWS! Cows have dirt all over their faces!" ---------- Elizabeth: "Mom, the stairs for the dollhouse broke again. But I'll leave them for Grampy to fix. That's a good idea, because Grampy can fix everything that breaks." ---------- Abby: "Who else was born in Bethlehem, Mom? Jesus, but who else?"
Me: "Let's see...King David was, and his brothers..."
Abby: "Yeah. I bet you'd probably have to walk even past the library to go to Bethlehem."
Me: "Yeah, probably. Like, over the ocean."
Elizabeth: "Oh man, that's way past the library!" ---------- Elizabeth made a marshmallow snowman at the library today. It was cute. Until she ate the bottom marshmallow...
...and when she was found out, she told us "oh! it was an accident..." :P ---------- Quote of the day goes to Elizabeth: "Mom, he was speaking so loud that I couldn't hear what he was really saying..." ---------- Elizabeth: blop blup. mof. flumflumflumflum! Abby - I just made a new kind of Spanish! Dora doesn't use this kind of Spanish, though.
Abby: Yeah. flumflummyflum! blipblep!! ---------- Me: Elizabeth is going to be 5 on her next birthday...
Abby: Yeah!!! Elizabeth!! You're going to be 5!
Me: ...and Abby, you'll be 4.
Abby: (downcast) but Mom, I already had my birthday. I was 3.
Elizabeth: Abby - you get ANOTHER birthday! Next year! First my birthday's in March, then it will be your birthday and you'll be 4!
Abby: (joy abounding): I DO?!?! Yayyyyyyy! ---------- Abby: I'm going to wear the pink boots to go grocery shopping, because they're HOT!
Me: ...what?!
Abby: Well, I wanted to wear my sandals, but they're cold. Boots are hot for my feet when it's cold out...sandals would be cold for my feet...what's so funny, mom?
There are more...many more. These are all the ones I have written down from December '10 to now. And there will be more. I hope Abby & Elizabeth brought a smile to your face. They bring me laughter every day!
