Fiddle Dee Dee: Come Read with Me

As I've mentioned before, I used to be an avid reader. Then life happened, and I got busy, and I pretty much stopped reading. Here lately, I've been reviving my reading habits, reading at least a chapter a day of a nonfiction book after I finish my Bible reading, but I genuinely miss fiction.

That's why I jumped right on board when my friend Mandy proposed the idea of an online book club. Because life is chaotic as usual, this is the first chance I've had to tell you about it. We're reading Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind in six weeks, and if you're interested, please join us!

Here's the catch: reading started last Thursday, and our first round of discussion will start this Thursday (like two days from now), but please don't let that discourage you from participating. I just picked up my copy of the book from the library yesterday, and there is absolutely no pressure. We just want to enjoy and share GWTW with one another.

So if you want to read, stop by Mandy's blog for more information. I hope to see you there!

Until next time, grace and peace.

What a Difference a Year Makes

This one turned two on September 17. It seems like this second year has passed more quickly than the first, and every time I flip through pictures from Christmas or even Easter, I marvel at how much my little girl has grown up. Last year I had a baby. This year I have a toddler.

At two years old, Micah is quite a character. Every day I marvel at how quickly she's learning things. New words abound these days, and she simply amazes me. I think she's pretty smart. She can count to three (and sometimes four or five), she knows most of her colors (although her favorite is pink), and she's pretty good at shapes. Each day when I pick her up from preschool and talk to her about her day, I'm blown away by the fact that we can have actual conversations.

She's a sweet girl, but she's also got a mind of her own. She's not above throwing a temper tantrum, but I think she's learning that her Mama's more stubborn than she is. She's stingy with her kisses and only gives them out at bedtime, when she makes sure everyone gets their nighttime sugar.

She loves to read and sometimes sleeps with her books. Just like her Mama.

Her newest phrase is "Okie Dokie," which she must have picked up at preschool. She says it all the time. Melts my heart.

Her birthday was on a Saturday, and now she thinks all birthdays are on Saturday. All cake is "Happy Cake" which is what she calls birthday cake, and ever since her birthday, she's been kind of obsessed with singing Happy Birthday, but she always leaves out the word birthday. Micah's version of the song goes something like this:

....Happy....to you.... ....Happy....to you.... ....Happy....to you....

Until she gets tired of singing it.

And did I mention that she loves Elmo? That's probably putting it mildly. I think she'd marry him tomorrow if she could.

She's pretty fond of Mickey Mouse, too.

I love this little girl more every day. I'm so thankful that God trusted me enough to be her mommy, and I pray that she grows into a woman who pursues Him with abandon. I can't wait to see what He has in store for her.

Until next time, grace and peace.

Raindrops on a Tin Roof

It's a rainy Labor Day around these parts. Tropical Storm Lee has dumped buckets and buckets of rain on us over the past 24 hours. It's wet. Which means that we've had a lazy holiday listening to the raindrops fall on our red tin roof.

No complaints from me. In honor of our rainy day, I thought I'd post a few snapshots from another rainy day. Last week we had a freak afternoon monsoon. It lasted about fifteen minutes, and after the deluge passed, I let Micah play in the drizzle that remained.

The twinkle in her eye ought to tell you how much fun she had splashing around. She's a mess, that one is. So lively. Always up for adventure. Full of wonderment and curiosity.

We had a visitor on the porch. After Micah caught sight of him, she spent the next 30 minutes saying bud, which, of course, means bug. I'm sure it was the funniest looking bug she'd ever seen.

Yesterday, I knelt down to hold her and saw the world through her eyes for just a moment. Things look different from the perspective of an almost two-year-old. She's given me a renewed sense of childlike wonder, something I didn't know I so desperately needed.

She's also taught this high-strung mama that it's OK to loosen up and play in the rain every now and then. Feet can be wiped and clothes can be dried. The memories created are more than worth a little bit of cleanup.

Seriously. What would my life be like without this moment?

I can't imagine.

Until next time, grace and peace.