Out of the Mouth of Ally

The hymn books were neatly stacked on the table.  My little two year old walked in behind me carrying another hymnal and bouncing, as she always does, with each step.  She smiled at me and handed me the hymn book. "Werrr-shup, Mommy," she said sweetly.  She had gone into Andy's office and grabbed everything to sit down for family worship.
There's nothing that makes my heart skip a beat like my kids' desire to love and serve their God.  I never want to forget the way Ally looks on Sunday morning, her feet hanging straight off the pew because they are too small to bend and reach toward the floor.  The way she lays the hymn book on her lap between her knees and toes because it's too heavy to hold and how it's sometimes upside down.  And the beautiful noises she makes as she sings to Jesus.  She "sings" at the top of her lungs through every verse and doesn't stop until the music stops.  It's always the same words to every song, "Aghhhhhhhhhhhh!" but she tries to keep a certain melody.  Every week, as we pull up to church she exclaims, "My church!"
Yesterday, Ally surprised us and melted our hearts a little more.  We say the Lord's prayer almost everyday with the kids.  Ally has never said any part of it but yesterday, as we began to say it as a family, Ally said the first few lines, "Our Father, art in Heaven...name."  She continued saying the last word of every phrase and trying to repeat the parts she couldn't say.  Her little hands were clasped together and Andy and I just looked at one another and smiled.
Thank you, Jesus, for the blessing of children and the immeasurable joy of these precious moments!

Abby's Beautiful Mind

"Mom, since I'm older than Ally and Johnny (friend's kid), that means they have to listen to me, right?"  Abby asks.
"It doesn't quite work like that, Abby." I reply.
"But Mommmmm, that just makes sense."
And that about sums up the way my four-and-a-half year old daughter thinks.  If it makes sense to her, then it has to be so.  There is no use arguing with her.  She is very passionate about all of her beliefs, right or wrong.

Sometimes I think her desires gets the better of her logic.
"Mom, how many more days until Julia can spend the night?"
"Four."
"So she'll be here tomorrow?"
"No, she'll be here in four more days."
"Ohhh, so not tomorrow but the next day."
"No, four more days."
"So after tomorrow... Yeah! I'm so excited!"
She's also very compassionate.  She loves to help others and is often willing to give up her time and possessions to anyone in need.  She's even willing to give up her own personal freedoms.  If she sees brother or sister being reprimanded she does not hesitate to fight for them, especially if they are crying.  She will often get herself into trouble because she does not back down.

Abby can always scream louder and fight harder than anyone else around her.  Ethan often just gives up on winning an argument.  He actually says, "I give up."  It's kind of funny.
With her compassion brings a certain sensitivity.  She's the kind of girl who will cry at a feel good movie or a good story.  She loves hugs, kisses and snuggles and she hates, HATES, when we are upset with her.
I have to say, the way she argues can drive me crazy sometimes.  But she can also make me so proud.  You see that sensitivity, that passion and compassion and fight, when harnessed in the right direction, puts me in awe of her capability.  Nothing can stop her from fighting injustices.  She's my little four-year-old super hero and I am so very in love with her.