Love this girl...

Harry's last day of preschool

Harry had his last day of pre-school on Thursday. He really enjoyed his first school experience. They did some fun activities throughout the year including a visit to the pumpkin patch, a Halloween parade, Thanksgiving feast, a visit from Santa, a visit to a fire station, a trip to a local gym to learn about living an active lifestyle, a miniature olympics, and a field day (just to name a few). Whew!

We have really been blessed to have the opportunity to send Harry to this wonderful pre-school. The teachers have really been sweet! They have made the kids feel so loved and special. Our primary reason for enrolling him was to help develop his social skills and friendships (too much hanging out with girls can ruin a young man!). We were pleasantly surprised at the quality of academics that he received. His teachers were excellent. Harry has already learned most of what he needs to know to enter kindergarten! I am excited to see how much he will learn next year as well.

So what will the "man of leisure" do for the next 3 1/2 months? We have lots of fun stuff planned while we wait for Hannah to finish up school. Donuts at our local bakery, park days, zoo visits, golf in the backyard, etc. Unfortunately, pre-school has set the bar pretty high for his expectations of how busy he thinks we ought to be! Somebody still has to cook and clean around here!

L'enfant artiste

We attended an art show at Harris' school last week where every class (3yrs. to 6th grade) was represented. We have always thought of Hannah as being our little artist, mostly because Harris is way too busy to sit down and create anything! Seeing his artwork hanging up on the wall made me feel so happy for my little man! He is very creative and the time he spent working on his pieces really showed. He was so proud as we took his picture by his creations. Looks like we have two little artists in the making!

P.S. This was a good lesson to me as a parent not to put my children in "boxes". I have always assumed he was not into artistic outlets because he is so athletic and active. Maybe he can and will be both!

Haircuts and Hearts

Last week Hannah said she wanted her hair to be as long as Rapunzel. Yesterday, on our way to our friend's house for hair cuts, she told me she wanted it really short. I asked her several times just to make sure, but she was adamant. So we went for it. It turned out really cute! I made sure that I got a shot of the back so you could see the fabulous "stacked" bob that Laura (haircutter extraordinaire) gave her. I knew she loved her short 'do when she wouldn't stop staring in the mirror as we were getting ready for bed last night!

Today at her girl scouts meeting, the subject was "inner beauty". During circle time, they passed a mirror around and each girl had to tell something they thought was beautiful about their outside and something they thought made them beautiful on the inside. When it was Hannah's turn, she instantly said, "My short hair". When the leader asked about what was beautiful about her inside, she said, "My heart". She didn't elaborate, and I wasn't even sure that she knew what the leader was really asking. Some girl after her said, "My skeleton", so I wasn't sure if Hannah was confused and was just naming a body organ.

When we got in the car, I told her I loved her answer and asked her what made her heart so beautiful. She said, "My heart is beautiful because Jesus lives there. It's His home!". I 'bout cried, no lie. She made my week.

Isn't that what we all want? To be seen as beautiful, not for anything that is fading away on the outside, but for something that is everlasting, that can never be taken away? Hannah is beginning to grasp the true meaning and value of beauty--that we are lovely and worthwhile because we are loved and made worthy. We are lovely because the God of the universe has made us His own. We are valuable because He said we are--and He never changes His mind. I hope this is a mindset that stays with her through out her life. I am thankful that God has put her in my life to challenge me to live out the true meaning of beauty for her to see. I can easily fall into the trap of forgetting these truths and focus too much on my outside. I am thankful that God gives me these good little reminders to keep my eyes fixed on what is true and important!

My ham, Harry