Pretty, pretty Princess.....

We invited Kim and Chris to visit today and, per usual, they came armed with games, books and energy.  

One of the games they brought was "Pretty, Pretty Princess."

Throughout the game, you "earn" princess jewelry and wear them to the end when the winner gets a crown.

{Can you tell they have three daughters?!?!?}

The game started with Kim,Chris and Leah.

But it didn't take long until everyone was involved.

I'll let the pictures do the talking.

Chris?  BUSTED!

 What's she lookin' at???

 Yea, that's right....

 Reviewing oneself in the mirror is oh, so fun.

 So help me, Chris Jahns, if my boys want earrings in a few years.... I'm comin' after you!!!

 Mr. Poser knocked the crown right off his head!

Note:  No, Zechariah does not need glasses.  His eyes have been checked.

He told the optometrist at his appointment that he NEEDED to have glasses.

And so she gave him some.  Ha.

Heard Around Our 'Hood -- My GIRL

Leah is having more to say these days, but she's not quite as profound as her brothers.

Yet.

Last week, she changed all of that.

I was out at a Blackhawks' game and Jeb was watching the kids.

I got a text during the first period that read,

"Jeb, my poop smells good."

You  might think to yourself, "That HAD to be Seth.  Or maybe Zechariah."

Nope.  My Leah.

And she continued, asking Jeb to smell it followed by, "Smells good?"

Oh brother.

Must.have.girl.time.soon.

That's ma' girl!

(oy)

 

Heard Around Our 'Hood -- Zechariah Edition

Zechariah has much to say these days.....

.... including about Uganda.

I wish I could freeze time and his memories so he could keep those traditions and the language deep within him.  And yet I know that each day, it grows further into the recesses of his brain and will likely be forgotten.

In the meantime, he has a lot to say about being here.

He told me the other night that he didn't want to have brown skin.

What????

We spend a lot of time talking about my children's "beautiful brown skin" so this was a shock to me.

Zechariah explained that he wants to have "yellow skin" . . . . like me.

Ah.  Now it's making more sense. ;)

Love you too, baby.

We were also talking about his Bamba tribe last night.

He was showing me a picture of where he lived in the snow peaked mountains.

I asked about his house and he didn't have words for that (yet).

Then he told me they had a chicken.

And they ate it.

After he said it, he burst out laughing.

HA.  He definitely has a sense of humor.

He also said they had a goat they ate....

Truth, I'm sure.

Today, I told him that his friend Brenda has a family and is moving to the United States.  Z said, "I want to go to the United States."  Um, you're already there, buddy!

I can't wait to hear more stories come out about his time in Uganda and I PRAY that he continues to want to be connected with me (skin color and all) even as I work to make sure he is a proud, brown young man.

I am so blessed. 

Heard Around Our Hood

Zechariah's arrival home has surely added to my amusement, but the star of this series remains Seth.

Most recently, Seth has been obsessed with being first.  First to do e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g.
It's annoying.

So one night, when he was near meltdown because he did not get the first snuggle with me at bedtime, I talked to him about what God's Word says.

"Ya know, Seth, the Bible says the first shall be last and the last shall be first."

He pondered that.  Said it a few times to himself and went to sleep.

Sure enough, the next night he asked if he could please be last to snuggle because, you know, the last are first.  {oh brother}  And nearly every night, he quotes this very important scripture at some point around bedtime.  Serves me right.

In other news, Zechariah asked me last night, in complete seriousness,

"Mom, why do we have a cat that lives in our house?"

Ever think about how odd that must seem to people in countries that don't have pets?  Yep.  Odd.

There are so many more and I'm going to bug Keveda (nanny) and Jeb (house guest) to help me remember and post them.  Precious for sure!

On my first born....

While Seth is now technically my middle child, he was the first child I adopted, bringing him from the hospital to my home and straight into my heart.  He will forever be my first born – birth order or not.  

Seth can be hard.  Really hard.  I watch people struggle to connect with him these days while he talks to them too close, too loud, and at base, in a really annoying manner.  He is an over-the-top sensory-seeking-maniac who craves attention from anyone who will engage him.  {sigh}

But those people who take time to engage Seth adore him.  He is sweet with a heart of gold and love tank that does not run dry.  Yes, sometimes my other two are easier to love on.  Seth…. my first born, Seth…. is hard.  And I get it.  I pray for people who will take the time – like Tesney, Shana and Jenny did in Uganda – to understand him.  I love that people like Keren fell for him.  I shout loud praises {and then crumble to pieces} when, just this morning, he writes his name by himself and without complaining after just four months of school with Mrs. Watts.  {If you know Seth, you know how absolutely monumental this is….}

I also weep when doctors tell me that his vision is so poor he will never drive.  I don’t accept that.  I can’t accept that for the child who wants nothing more out of life than to drive trains.  Ugh.  

So when you meet Seth, and you’re not sure what to do with him, give him a chance.  On the other side of the “crazy” is an awesome, incredibly bright, engaging five year old {even though he looks seven} who loves to play and will loyally be your best friend for life if you just give him a chance.