Is it December Already?

I have been receiving some complaints about my blogger absence. You know what, people? Some of us are busy! But now that I have a moment, I'll attempt to make your day a bit brighter.

I'm finishing up my first semester teaching Child Development at the local community college. It has been an amazing learning experience for me, and I look forward to teaching the same class next year so that I can expand my knowledge and teaching skills.

Mike got back from Cambodia (mission trip) in early October. He had an amazing time and was just today talking about it with the girls. His desire to seek justice for those in human bondage is stronger than ever.

Has this brightened your day yet? Talk of teaching and slavery is so uplifting!

Speaking of slavery. . . .

Let's get on to the girls, because that's who most of you care about anyways! I'm afraid the stories are weighted more heavily on Hannah, since I spend more time with her. (Sorry, my sweet Abby!)

My sister-in-law recently had a baby. (Hi, Baby Molly!) While she was pregnant, Hannah struggled to grasp the whole "baby in Shelley's tummy" thing. Once she had finally learned to accept that, we told her that Baby Molly would be coming out of Shelley's tummy soon. This excited Hannah, because she thought that Baby Molly would come out of Shelley's tummy and move to Mommy's tummy. Then, when Hannah turns seven, Baby Molly will move to Hannah's tummy.

Abby was begging to leave the house, and I told her we would once Hannah went potty. I was ignoring the children at the time, so I gave Abby the task of getting Hannah in the bathroom. I could hear Abby's fruitless efforts to move her stubborn sister. In frustration, she came in my room, wrote something down, and walked out. Curious, I followed. I found her standing in front of Hannah, holding a paper in front of Hannah's face.


Since Abby and I have bangs, we need more frequent haircuts than Hannah does. But if you've ever tried to do something and not involve Hannah, you know that that child MUST do everything her sister does. So now I call our hairdresser and make appointments for two bang trims and one fake cut. She schedules us, and that is exactly what she does. Abby and I go first, then Hannah gets in the chair, then has her hair sprayed down and fake cut. It actually works quite well!

My mom took Hannah out to lunch at a deli. When they were finished, Gamma asked Hannah to stay at the table while she got take-home boxes. Hannah asked why and Gamma said, "Because if we both leave, the workers will think we are all done, and they will take our food." Hannah begrudginly stayed put. When Gamma came back, Hannah proudly declared, "A worker came by and I said, 'Don't you touch our food!!'"



One afternoon, Hannah was sitting on my dad's lap. She studied him for a moment and said, "Papa! You've got hair in your nose and ears!"

I was attempting to get Hannah to wash her hands, but she was refusing. "Hannah," I said, "you have germs all over your hands." As quick as a three-year-old, she said, "That's okay, I'll just lick off the germs!" and stuck her hands in her mouth.


Hannah's new word is "amn't." ("Am not," of course!) I think it makes perfect sense, and wonder why it isn't (is not) in use generally.

Shopping at Sam's Club on Saturday at noon took on a whole new delight for the girls, because the free sample booths were plentiful. The next Saturday, I told the girls they could pick what we did that day. With joy, they asked to go to Sam's Club. We are so cultured!