Milestones

 Hello all!  We've had two big events in our family recently that make me feel really good and successful as a parent, although I can't really take credit for either one.  My girls are getting bigger, and turning into fine young ladies, and I just don't know what I did right to deserve such great girls, but they are, and they're mine, and I just overflow with thankfulness every day for them.  Our first milestone is that Abby Kate is officially pacifier-free!!  Yes, we had success saying goodbye to the paci.  I was inspired to try again (after our horribly misguided attempt to go cold-turkey over the Summer) when Abby Kate began developing a rash around her mouth where the pacifier was each night.  I decided to try the old "cut-the-tip-off-the-paci-and-hope-she-gives-it-up-on-her-own" trick.  The first night, she noticed it wasn't the same.  We talked about how her pink paci was broken, and the other two were mysteriously lost all of a sudden.  She came up with an elaborate story about how a dog got the paci and ate the tip of it, and the tip was stuck in it's teeth.  I just went along with it.  It sounded much better than, "my mean mom purposely ruined my most precious belonging in an effort to make me grow up faster than I want to."  At any rate, she spent a few days not loving the "new" paci, but sucking on it anyway, repeatedly saying that she hoped Santa would bring her a new pink paci for Christmas.  Cline thought I was nuts for trying again, but I just had a feeling she was ready this time.... that and I was not about to have my beautiful daughter taking Halloween and Christmas pictures with a pacifier rash!  I gradually cut the tip down more over the course of a few weeks.  Abby Kate showed no signs of completely giving it up, but did begin to repeatedly ask for an Ariel mermaid fin, a red wig, and red lipstick.  I reminded her that Christmas is coming up, but she decided that was too far off.  One day, while she was talking about it, I experienced a moment of rare, parenting genius.  I told her that if she could give up her pacifier completely, we would get her a mermaid fin and red wig immediately.  She loved the idea, so we agreed that once she slept for 3 nights without her pacifier, we would get these things for her.  The genius ended there, as I made this agreement the Thursday after Halloween, not realizing that the Sunday after Halloween would be pretty much the worst day of the year to find a store that had such a costume in stock and available for purchase.  Fortunately, we happen to be currently storing some things in our basement for Cline's brother and his family.  One of those things happens to be a laundry basket full of his kids' old Halloween costumes, and I recalled seeing an Ariel wig and mermaid dress in the pile.  After a quick phone call, my life-saving sister-in-law generously said we could have the whole outfit, and voila - no more pacifier! 

Abby Kate was quite thrilled with her new ensemble!

 Our second great event was that Christa made the decision to ask Jesus into her heart!! Christa has been taught about Jesus and His love for her for as long as she could listen to words.  We read the bible each night, go to church nearly every Sunday, listen to bible cds in the car, etc.  We've talked about how Jesus loves us and died for our sins so that, if we believe that's true and accept Him as our Savior, we can go to heaven to be with God one day when we die.  She's known those facts for a while, but has had some fears and misconceptions about them.  For example, she had the idea that if she "asked Jesus into her heart," then that meant she would immediately go to heaven.... away from her family.... and most concerning to her, her Ducky.
At any rate, a few weeks ago, we had dinner with Chas and Bethany and the cousins.  Bethany shared with us that Charlie (age 4) had come home from school earlier that week saying that he wanted to ask Jesus into his heart.  As Christa and I talked about that a little bit, Christa said, "I've already asked Jesus into my heart." I smiled, and we went to bed.  The next night, as we were getting ready for bed, the topic came up again.  I asked her what she said when she asked Jesus into her heart.  She said that she didn't know and wanted help to do it.  Thankfully, Cline was home, because I really wanted him to be the one to walk her through it and determine if she really understood what she was doing.  They talked for a while, while I put the little ones to bed.  About 30 minutes later, Christa came upstairs where I was reading to Elizabeth.  She had the biggest smile on her face and said, "Mom, I asked Jesus into my heart, and He came in.  I did it out loud - I didn't just think it."  She gave me a big hug, and the joy on her face, that radiated from her that night was an experience all it's own.  She wanted to call everyone immediately and tell them.  As Cline said, if we were all that excited about our relationship with the Lord, the churches would be a lot more full than they are right now.

 Christa wanted to write it down in her bible.  She was so very excited and proud.  The next day, we were upstairs getting clothes for the day.  She went over to her bible and opened it.  Then she told me, "Mom, I just wanted to look at what I did last night to remember."

The next day, Christa tried to get Abby Kate to ask Jesus into her heart on the way to lunch.  That was a hilarious conversation.  While I don't remember exactly how it went, I do remember it starting to unravel when Abby Kate started talking about "Sprite" and "Coke" after an eloquent statement about Jesus dying on the cross for our sins.



"And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."  Matthew 18:3 (NIV)