YAHOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

I am so excited! Did I mention how thrilled I am????? I was just straightening T3's room...you see, MW is going to visit JJ and GJ for the weekend. Each time she heads out of town for a visit, I try to get the house super clean and organized because it will actually stay that way until she returns! (I wouldn't trade those messes and "projects" for the world, but I do so enjoy walking into a room when everything is in its place.) So, back to straightening T3's room...I was organizing all the stuffed animals, etc. in the baby moses basket and decided to just pull them all out...and what did I find? My pearl earring! Yes! The one! I am so happy! I am so excited! I just sat there thanking the Lord for allowing me to find it. I'd searched vents, I've crawled around my bedroom floor on my hands and knees searching 360 degrees around every furniture leg, I felt like I had exhausted the possibilities, and there it was, hiding under all those animals and pillows and toys, safe and sound. I am so excited! Yea! I will never again leave jewelry where little hands can reach! Thank You, Lord!

And a quick update on activities in our home over the past week...MW, T3, and I went to lunch with another little girl and her mom on Tuesday. The food had just arrived when MW announced to everyone at the table that she HAD to go potty. She's becoming increasingly independent, which has it's advantages. Such as, her independence in the restroom. She immediately picked the smallest stall, in the middle, and was determined she'd go in and take care of business by herself. Fine by me. T3 and I waited, and waited, and waited. Fifteen minutes later she needed my help. In the process of trying to "help" her, she wound up bending over and aiming her little tush under the stall divider, so that, bent over, from the waist down, was sticking into the stall beside her! Thankfully no one was in there! It really was quite funny! Oh the unique adventures we have!

Tuesday pick up from school found MW crying, as she'd let a friend where her "weddin ring" and her friend had lost it on the playground. We walked that playground searching, with MW crying...we didn't find it. This afternoon, after school, we're headed to the Hello Kitty store to buy a "wooby (ruby) weddin' ring." We tried Target, but couldn't find any children's rings. While we were there, MW found two stuffed animals in the dollar section. She told me she'd like to buy them and give one to T3. I gave her the ok, afterall, Grandma and Grandpa just sent her $1 in the mail. Fast forward to the toy section. MW spots a "princess" dress that cost $29!!! Or maybe it was $39...it was expensive! She asked if she could buy that instead. T and I explained to her that it cost much more than what she had and she would have to save for a long time to buy it. Well, I am so proud of my little girl! She decided to put the stuffed animals back, without prompting from me or T, so that she could save for the dress! Yea MW! I think I might offer to meet her half-way. That's a lot of money for a little girl to earn/save! (Besides, I don't think we have that many pine cones in the front yard!)

Update on T3...T has been reading The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe series to MW every night. They read for at least 30 minutes. Tuesday night T3 joined them in MW's room for a one hour reading time while I did a little baking. According to T, T3 had his own baby olympics in MW's room. This involved climbing up and down her step stool, pulling up and holding on to furniture as he eased his way around it, holding onto her tricycle, while pushing it and walking around the room (he's not walking on his own yet, but he can hold onto things and "walk" around.), climbing on her big red bouncing ball, etc. Long and short of it, after a full meal, one hour of "baby olympics" and one good tickle on the changing table, little man threw up! All over me and himself! It was bad! Nasty, bad! And God was so gracious! I don't know about you, but I never sneeze after I throw up, but T3 did, about 6-7 times. I undressed him, gave him a candy cane, and put him in the bathtub. Poor thing! He's so precious! He and MW both are! What joyful delights they are to us!

Oh, one last thing! We made a trip to visit my grandmother and I have to report that it was a precious time! So sweet! My Mom and sisters and brother in law joined us. We held hands with my grandmother and talked to her. She hasn't spoken to me in complete sentences, nor has she said anything to me that made sense in about a year. (She has alzheimers) While we were there, she just smiled up at us. MW climbed into the bed with her and held her hand and rubbed her arm. At one point MW sort of "lead" us in singing Amazing Grace. My grandmother kept saying "she's such a sweet girl" about MW. She also said, "I wanna kiss that baby." about T3. I leaned down over her face with him and she kissed him and he giggled and cooed. Then I'd do it again, same thing. It was just a precious time. My Grandmother looked so at peace. I wouldn't trade it for the world. God was so kind and gracious to give us that time with her, and especially because she was actually making a little bit of sense! On the way home, MW burst into tears. We asked what was wrong and she told us, "I just don't want to leave her. I love her so much. Has she already gone to be with Jesus?" Needless to say, I am very thankful to God for that special visit He gave us! I am also so thankful that we are eternal creatures! This is the first time I've looked into the face of death with a family member and realized that another 70 years (if I even live that much longer) is just not long at all in light of eternity. How heavy, but how freeing! Praise God!