Kiddo Update

We're long since due for an update! Rebekah, Daniel, and Hannah seem to be growing up so quickly these days. They are best friends and worst enemies, depending on the day... or hour. It is both fun and exhausting to watch (and help) them learn and grow!

Rebekah is 5 going on 15. She's always been our little organizer; the difference between now and when she was 2 is that then she organized rocks and my tupperware. Now she tries to organize US! She's actually a huge help with Daniel and Hannah though. When she's not around I realize just how much I depend on her to help with Hannah particularly. As she becomes a more fluent reader, she enjoys reading to Hannah (and sometimes Daniel will sit for her too!). She's so excited to finally be able to read "real books" herself, and we find her reading everything from road signs to food packaging!

Reading one of Hannah's favorite books

School time

 Rebekah is maturing in other ways too, and sometimes she seems wise beyond her years. It is a challenge to channel that 5-year-old wisdom into true wisdom and respect for "elders" instead of bossiness, but we are attempting! The older our children get, the more we realize how much wisdom we need in raising them! 

With Aunty Pooja, one of Rebekah's favorite aunties at church

Our sweet girl

Daniel is ever our busy little 3-year-old boy. If there is dirt, he will dig. If there's a ball, he will throw. If there is food (especially raw veggies!), he will inhale. He is all boy. He's energetic and intense... and we love him... even if we can't quite keep up with his energy level at times!

Playing in the dirt at camp

Eating his veggies

Daniel asks dozens of questions each day, but his favorite is "Why did God make ---?" Trees, cups, cars, ears, Jupiter... you name it, Daniel wants to know why God made it! Sometimes the answer to that question is easy; sometimes it gets a little more difficult! But we are thankful that he is asking questions and wanting to know more about God. He recently came across a tract that showed a picture of Jesus suffering on the cross, and has been very concerned about that, talking a good bit about "Jesus dying on the cross to pay for our sins." He doesn't seem to fully grasp the significance of that yet, but we pray he will soon.

Sweet little man

With Curious George, his faithful companion

 And our pixie! It is hard to believe that she is nearing TWO. She is quickly moving from baby to toddler... bittersweet. Hannah is a happy, cheerful, friendly (if a little shy), cuddly little girl who wants to be in the middle (and I do mean in the middle) of whatever her older siblings are doing. She hates her afternoon naps because she knows Rebekah and Daniel are up playing quietly together, and she's been banished to her bed!

 Hannah is talking more and more these days, adding words to her vocabulary daily...sometimes hourly. Right now she's working hard at picking up names of all her "friends." She has quite an extensive mutual admiration club going on at church, and everyone is thrilled when she attempts their names!

With one of her new favorite aunties, Molly Aunty, visiting for a few weeks from the States

 Hannah also loves to try and help with whatever I'm doing in the kitchen. Often that means she is either stirring something or sitting on the counter coloring. She just loves being with people!

Sweet girl

Little sis following big brother

Silly kiddos

These three add such life to life! We are so very thankful for them and the joy and blessing that each of them are to our family.

Our 3 precious little Indians!