Tracing

The girls love to draw, paint, pretty much do anything artsy crafty. They love it when we get any new artsy things to do and play with. Autumn brought home some tracing paper for the girls, and they just thought that was the coolest ever. Of course, when we bring new things home, there are usually some sort of fights or arguments. Now these are great girls. They have so many wonderful qualities about them. If anyone ever messes with a sister, you will have another sister to deal with (that's another post for sure!) But, for some reason, all the protectiveness goes out the window when it is just the 4 of them. It doesn't matter if you THINK you bring home 4 items that are exactly alike so there will be no fights, they will find SOMETHING different with one of them and THAT item is the one they all want! All this to say...when we bring new things in, there is usually some sort of rule to go with it. (I know...that is a long way of saying that!) So, back to the tracing paper...the rule with the tracing paper was that it was only to be used for tracing. (Tough rule right?) The paper couldn't be used for just drawing or coloring or painting...only for tracing.
So the girls traced on the paper and were putting it away. Sister 4, S, came in and asked Autumn, So what's wrong with Tracey?

Autumn: What do you mean?

S: Tracey...is she sick? What's wrong with her?

Autumn: Nothing.....OOOOOHHHHHHHHH I said TRACING, not TRACEY! All of those papers are for TRACING only, not TRACEY only!

S: I know, but what's wrong with Tracey?

Nevermind............just forget it!!!!!!!!

When I grow up...

The girls like to talk about what they will be when they grow up. Autumn and I like to think about when they grow up. Sometimes though, well, many times, the two dreams just aren't the same. Sister 1 changes what she wants to be every day. One day its a teacher, one day its a doctor, the next day she wants to just hang a sign on the road that says she will teach horse riding lessons! Whatever that girl chooses, she will be good at it. She is determined, compassionate, honest and has a magnetic personality.

Sister 3, A, wants to be an art teacher when she grows up. There is no doubt she will do something with her artistic ability when she grows up. She is artistic....SO artistic. I will post pictures of her artwork another time. She also has a odd fascination with animals, old people and dead things, so I don't know what she will end up doing with that combination of interests! I am totally sure though, that she will make a difference in many people's lives! She is so tender-hearted. She sees details in life that no one else sees. She appreciates things in life that so many people skip right over.

Sister 4 might say she wants to be a doctor or a teacher, but in reality, she is too concerned with the social games going on around her to worry about her future! We always say that S's dream job would be a teacher. Imagine, being the control freak that she is....having control (theoretically anyway) of ALL of those kids! I think S will definitely be in some role of leadership. She is a mother hen. She is not only concerned with what she is doing, but she makes sure all those around her are doing the right thing too! She is smart and nurturing. She is going to be good at what she does.....she is determined.

Sister 2, H, has a different perspective of everyday jobs that we see as not something that you aspire to do. Two of her dream jobs: a waitress (#1 dream) and a banker. Why does she want to be a waitress? A waitress really isn't a great job, you may think. Well, look at it from her perspective....you get to meet new people and talk to new people all day, you get to help people by getting them exactly what they need, and then the best part....when they leave, they just leave you money! Yep...sounds like a great job! Working at the bank...think about that from her perspective...people give you money all day, you get to use a calculator, you get to count lots of money, and you get to give kids suckers....sounds great! Really, H, is so thoughtful, has a sweet heart, and will quietly make a difference in many people's lives!

It is amazing to think of how God will use each of these girls. He has brought them through difficult situations and he doesn't bring s through those things to just leave us....he has a plan for our lives. He can use the unique personalities, gifts, and talents He has given us if we choose to. My prayer for my girls is that they will continue to be obedient to the Lord in everything they do!

Here kitty kitty.....

I know these pictures are not the same cat in the story and they are of H, not A, but they are the only cat pictures I have!

A week or so ago, we were at the house getting ready to go somewhere. Autumn had just finished mowing and we were in and out of the house getting the car packed. I walked past the living room window and see sister 2, A, in the yard and I didn't think a thing about it. But something told me that picture just wasn't right, so I take a second look. A and S are in our front yard intently looking at something. I am thinking: What are they looking at? Oh, A is touching something, what is that? A cat? Where did that cat come fr..........oh my GOODNESS that cat is DEAD!!!!!!!!!!! AAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!! (that is what I said when I ran out the front door)

A, what are you doing? (Why do I ask questions like that?) Get away from that cat and go wash your hands!

I couldn't even go look at it. It wasn't a tiny kitty, but it wasn't full grown either. Not only was A petting the cat, she was HOLDING the cat in her lap, stroking it tenderly. Of course I am hollering crazy questions at her when she comes in the house....of course I can't just be calm and say the right things...no, I go crazy!

I start hollering to Autumn, A brought a dead cat in the yard! Autumn thought I said dead calf, so she was quiet cause she was trying to figure out how she got a dead calf in our yard.

A was going through the house mumbling about how the cat's eyeballs were poked out of its head. She then came over to me with her head in her hands, crying and saying: Why did it have to die? It was just a baby! It didn't even do anything wrong! Poor little cat!

I consoled her while laughing as silently as I can. Then Autumn and I both gave her the lecture of why she should stay away from dead things.

Autumn told A to go put that cat back in the pasture where she got it from, and A looked straight at her and said, but you told me to not touch dead animals! REALLY?? NOW you're going to listen to what we say? So Autumn gave her gloves and told her to hold it by the tail and throw it in the pasture. She looked up and said, Would YOU like to be thrown if YOU were a dead cat? So she picked it up and gently set it in the pasture. Thank you Lord for giving her compassion and a tender heart. I pray that her compassion is not only for dead animals, but for people who don't know the Lord!

Butterflies

So today we went out to eat, and on our way back to the car, A saw something and darted over to get it. She darted so fast that by the time I realized what she was doing, she was already to it. What, you ask? Well, she darted to the car, and scraped a moth that was pretty much together off of the bumper while gasping and saying, Oh no! They killed the monarch! I need to save the monarch! Poor little monarch!

Man, this girl is obsessed with saving dead animals! What are we going to do?!!!!

Bent

I am trying to remember funny stories from the past before I forget them. So we got M in the spring semester of her kindergarten year. The girl was SO wild....really, like a wild animal! But she was (and still is) so sweet. She liked everyone....really....there just still aren't many people she doesn't like. And she has a real gift to see past the exterior of people and see their hearts. She has always been able to like and take in the "unlikeable" people. So it was a little surprising when her teacher told us that she just isn't nice to a kid we will call David. She never liked to stand by him in line. She would throw a fit if she had to be by him for any reason. It was so unlike her and we just couldn't figure it out. So we ask her:

M, why don't you like David? Why are you mean to him?

He is mean to the teacher and that isn't nice

Well, is it going to help for you to be mean to him?

No.

There must be a reason. M, why don't you like him?

Well, because he isn't straight.

Oh my goodness, this kindergartner knows more than I think! And really, does she REALLY think this kid is gay? What? This doesn't make sense, so I said:

What do you mean he isn't straight?

You know....he just isn't straight like you and Autumn. He is bent.

Bent? I am thinking.......does he have back problems? Is he handicapped?

You know...bent.....fat.

Being the great new foster mom and children's minister, right away I think......she thinks I'm straight! Yay! I'm straight!!!!!!!!! Wahoo!!!!!!!!! ...............I mean..............M, you know other people who are bent and you love them!

Yeah, but he's just real bent, and nasty. He is mean to the teacher and he sticks his hands in his hiny then to his mouth.

You're right...that is nasty, but we have to be nice.

A month or so later, I went on a field trip with her class and saw exactly what she meant. He is just a kid that gets his food all over his face when he eats, he is loud.....just kind of hard to be around. So we talked about poor bent David almost every day for a while, and over the past few years she has come to appreciate him for who he is. She isn't his best friend, but she will go out of her way to say hello and say something kind every once in a while. Love this girl!

Sweet letters

It is so fun to raise these girls and see how alike they are in some areas, and how different they are in others. One of my favorite things is to see the girls find things they love and are good at and really excell in those areas. I love it when they use their talents and their strengths to minister to others and to bring honor to HIS name! This brings me to Sister 2, H. She is the quietist girl of the bunch. She can easily be overlooked because she kind of just does what she is told and blends in to the background....most of the time anyway. She came to us with sad eyes and a wounded spirit, but the Lord has brought her so far. It really has been a joy to watch her grow and blossom. H is gentle, thoughtful, graceful, and so sweet. If there is a little kid around, H is usually right beside them, working with them patiently. Little kids are drawn to her. H loves to write and she is REALLY good at it! She writes made up stories, stories about her life, and sweet notes to people all the time. It is not uncommon for us to go to bed and find a card or letter from H laying on our pillow or under our pillow. I always call her a hidden treasure! This was written on a card I found on my bed one night from her:

Dear Trinity,

Do you like pink and brown? Iff....you do than your good and osome. Thank you for what you teached us. Thank you for what you did. THANK YOU

H

This was a book she wrote about her childhood memories from before she came to our home:

My Life

Chapter 1--Money

When I was a little girl when ever someone set money eneywhere I would get a chare and get up and get it. Then I would go to my room and put it under my bed in a box.

Chapter 2--Me and My Birthday

When it was my birthday thay put the cake out on the counter then when they left I would get up and eat it with my fingers and face.

Chapter 3--

When I cut m sisters hair when I was little. I was mad at M because she pushed me off my bike. And then I busted my nose. Then I cut her hair like a boy. It was funny.

The End

I love this sweet girl!

I want to be...

A few months ago, we were eating at the dinner table and chatting about whatever we were chatting about. Someone, I don't remember which one, asked what S (sister 4) was going to do. M (sister 1) does horse riding, H (sister 2), does tumbling, A (sister 3) does art class. There were a lot of suggestions including: piano, horse riding, tumbling, art, dance, and so on. There was lots of arguing to each suggestion. M doesn't want her to do horse riding cause SHE does horse riding, and A doesn't want her to do art cause SHE does art, but sweet H DOES want S to do tumbling with her, cause she thinks its fun, but A doesn't want S to do tumbling with H cause....well, you get the idea!

So we say, S, what do YOU want to do?

I want to be Baby Jesus.

While I clean up the water spewing out of my mouth and try to not laugh, which is totally impossible, Autumn asks, Baby Jesus? Like in a play?

No, I want to be baby Jesus, Mary's baby Jesus.

And she says it so plainly....so matter of fact, as if she can just be baby Jesus! We of course laugh, keep asking if she really wants to be baby Jesus, to which she keeps insisting she definitely wants to be baby Jesus. We tell her that you can't just be baby Jesus, but it is no use. So we just change the subject and laugh about it all day. Apparently S thought about it all day too, because the next day she came to Autumn and asked, Is that the same baby Jesus that died on the cross?

Yes, that is the same one.

Ok, I don't want to be baby Jesus. What a relief!!! I think I want to be Tatum's (her friend) daughter.

Hmmmm.....I think she is still in the stage of learning to make the difference of reality and make believe!