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We had a great Christmas with all our families. Rachel is 4 1/2 and is growing up a little too fast. Bekah just turned 3 and REALLY wants to help and do everything herself. Rachel has started playing soccer and Bekah participates in every practice. I think if they'd let us, Bekah would be on the team also. Rachel really likes it and her first game is next week. I have no preconceived notions on how it will go because they don't keep score and I haven't a clue how they will do when they get out there.
The girls got a Leap Pad for Christmas. It's like an iPad for kids. It has worked wonders. Rachel can recognize most letters on site and can write them too. She was getting there, but it was painfully slow. Now if she doesn't know it, I can write it and she is able to mimic it on her own paper. I'm not sure if she can write numbers just yet, but she's doing great! Bekah has learned to ride Rachel's bicycle with training wheels. We even went on a walk the other day and one girl rode down and the other rode back on the bike. It was really nice. Bekah is trying very hard to keep up. The girls help us in the kitchen peeling carrots and cutting the green beans before we cook them. We have been giving them a butter knife to cut the beans, but we gave Rachel the dull scissors and Bekah can't stand to not get a turn. She cries so desperately that she'll "Be careful!" Poor kid. She did the same thing with something else another day. One day while I did the dishes the girls were playing and Bekah started dusting with her kid broom, so I told her only on the floor, but I asked her if she wanted to dust with a towel. She seemed excited, so I gave her a towel, of course then Rachel wanted one too. They kept asking what they should dust, so they basically dusted the house for me. Kids are never too small to help. Believe it or not, I have gotten these helpful hints from the Duggars and others with large families.
Julia is just growing and changing. I think she might have brown eyes now. She's had some brown in her iris with the blue that was there, but lately her eyes seem darker and darker. At a recent 6 month check up, she was about an inch longer than Rachel was at the same age. Her weight is about in line with the other girls, but she's long! We have her mostly in 12 month clothes now. Some 9 month clothes fit still, depending on the item. We even went ahead and changed her into the convertible car seat because we would have had to switch it out in the next month anyway. She sits up by herself and can even kick her legs out behind her when she falls over forward, rolls over back to front and front to back, and talks all the time! She'll squeal or laugh. I think she's learning her high pitched scream, the good one of course. She should be able to sit herself up before too long and we'll have to lower her bed. She's started foods and likes them. She eats kind of fast most days and then wants to nurse after she's done. If she nurses before dinner, she acts like she's still hungry after finishing her food.
This week has been Jeff's spring break, and even though we have had soccer 4 days this week (including tonight), we have had a good time. We got the car fixed (it's now quiet! Who would've thought?), had a picnic in the park, played on the playground at the park, helped Uncle Drew with Grammie's watering, gone to the store, had soccer practice at home, and pulled weeds. The girls and I did some school work while dad was at soccer practice yesterday (Thursday) and we later make homemade soft pretzels. It was a little work, but so yummy, and I'll be it was super CHEAP! I also made green beans and carrots for Julia, hamburger stroganoff, and salsa. I haven't made salsa in a LONG time. I've had to cut back on the spicy food for the most part because I couldn't eat it when I was pregnant with Julia and Julia doesn't tolerate it well in her milk when I eat a lot of salsa.
The real reason I was writing this post was to let the readers know about what is going on with Jeff and I. We recently decided that we will be joining together with some members of our church to go on a medical missions trip to the Philippines. We are so excited about it. I must say that I'm probably more nervous than excited because I know how tired I am after 8 hours at the office, either school or the pediatric office. During this trip we will be running a clinic during the day and having an evangelistic program in the evening. I am already out of my comfort zone on this. I have not been on a mission trip EVER! I do not willingly walk up to strangers or even semi-acquaintance to speak to them. I have a VERY hard time presenting the gospel to people, and yet I'm going. I am fully expecting to be exhausted, have a breakdown midweek, and hopefully I can talk about it, get over it, and be energized to finish out our time there. We will be serving in a city/county just north of Manila and I think we will be staying in Manila while we are there.
More than a month ago we sent out support letters to our friends and family asking for their support regarding this trip. We also asked if anyone wanted updates. I think I will try to use this blog to send updates. I will also be sending an email to everyone letting them know periodically the new information we have. While there we will be working with a church called Christ Commission Fellowship, where one of the missionaries our church support attends church. They have a team in charge of the medical mission trips that they plan for people to come from all over the world and provide medical care for those without access to it. As we are planning and gathering their team, we are doing the same, so some of the details will come over time. If you have sent money to us and haven't received any notification from us, we will contact you about it, I promise! You are not forgotten, and we are more grateful than you may ever know. We are so thankful that God is faithful, just, and provides in such amazing ways. I'm so glad I serve a loving God, who is the Provider of all things good and perfect for us. Send us an email or message us if you have any questions.
