Stories to remember

In the midst of all of this, I have to document Ethan's phrases.  They change so fast and my brain is so full of everything else that if I don't write them down I won't remember them, and I really want to years from now.

We didn't go see any fireworks for the 4th of July, but Matt picked up some firecrackers to do in the backyard.  Kate and Ethan enjoyed them a lot.

Ethan's word for smoke bomb was "coke mom".

The other day Ethan wanted to go outside or downstairs, I don't remember which, and I told him no, that we were doing something else.  He looked at me and said, plain as day, "Not now."  That's right, buddy :)

Ethan is the first of our children who has enjoyed salsa as a toddler.  He calls is "shalsha."

My parents stopped by for a brief visit on their way through Madison last Thursday while Anna and I were at the hospital.  Ethan had already learned how to say "gramma" on an earlier visit, but this time he learned how to say Grandpa, except it comes out as "granpop".

Ethan uses pacifiers for sleeping still, and we usually just keep these in his crib.  Every once in awhile he will come toddling out of his room with one in his mouth when it is not naptime, but he's pretty good about putting them back if we ask him to.  A few times, though, he will recognize that it is naptime, and will gather his special blankets and his pacifier, and then come and find an adult, sometimes even announcing "nap!"  I love that our kids are self-aware :)

Ethan calls playdo "Dionne" because that's the name of one of Anna's therapists.  One time when Dionne was here, she played with playdo with us.  It must have made an impression on Ethan because now whenever he sees the playdo he says "Dionne."

We were able to Skype with Matt's parents on Sunday afternoon for awhile, the first time we "saw" them since just before Anna's shunt infection at the end of April.  We all had a nice visit, with all five of us, understandably, in a much better place than we were 2+ months ago.

And finally, thank you to whoever is praying for a Spirit-filled home this summer for us, because I know someone, or several someones, must be praying for that exact thing.  Even with our early mornings and busy days, from the youngest member of our family to the oldest, we seem to be displaying the fruits of the Spirit.  Not all the time, of course, but probably more than we have before all this began.  And everyone who enters our home, including those who are paid to, whether they realize it or not, are also displaying these characteristics.  So thanks.

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  Against such things there is no law."  Galatians 5:22-23