My Little Loves

As a mom, I think about my kids all the time.  What they're doing, saying, eating, playing, learning, and loving is on my mind fairly well from morning to night.  These three little people who live in my house mean the world to me and I thank the Lord for the gift that they are.

But I also have two other children who live in God's house.  Though I never met them, I hold a deep love for them and think of them every day.  Especially now, when I would have been holding the youngest in my arms, our family adjusting to a new baby in the house.  I have several friends who were pregnant the same time as me and are now all giving birth to healthy, beautiful children.  I am genuinely happy for them, though I will probably always look at these children throughout their life and think, "My baby would have been your age...."

But it does not give me grief, for I know they are with our Lord, and I have faith and hope that I will meet them one day.  Until then, I will hold them in my thoughts and in my heart, always thankful for them and the blessings they brought to our family;  helping us to grow together in love and strengthening our faith in our Lord.

My life is but a weaving between my Lord and me
I cannot see the colours He worketh steadily.
Oft times He weaveth sorrow and I in foolish pride
Forget He sees the upper and I the underside.

Not till the looms are silent and the shuttles cease to fly
Shall God unroll the canvas and explain the reason why.
The dark threads are as needful in the Weaver’s skilful hands
As the threads of gold and silver in the pattern He has planned.
~Author unknown

Our Little Artist

 Put a marker in her hand and she's golden.  Her favorite color? 

"Puh-poh."

Building Shapes

I found a great idea for working with shapes at Shannon's Tot School.  If you're looking for great ideas for crafts and activities for kids, her blog is a goldmine.  What's even better is that she gives "from the trenches" reviews, giving her impressions, safety and cleanliness tips, the reception of the crafts by her children, and a rating for the activity.

I tweaked the activity only slightly, using different colored popsicle sticks for each shape.  I traced the sticks in each shape on plain white paper, then wrote the name of the shape in the middle, matching the color to the sticks.  (For durability for repeated use I would laminate the paper.)

On each stick I wrote the name of the shape it would be used to make and a drawing of the shape on each end of the stick. I then mixed them all together then laid them out for her to pick through.

Addie had a great time with this activity, and was very pleased with the shapes she was able to make.  

Activities that involve some tracing on my part and then matching on theirs seem to go over very well.  

Sisterly Love

Ana came downstairs after her nap and Addie immediately scooted over to make room to cuddle.