Here we go again!

They say pictures are worth 1000 words, and I'd wager this one is worth even more!

We are pretty excited that our family is growing again.  My due date is a little complicated, so we can just say to expect another Becker kiddo in mid-to-late August.  The due date is complicated because my cycle was a little strange after my gallbladder surgery, and the two ultra sounds I've had (one today and one four weeks ago) measured with a week+ difference.  We are sticking with the due date from the first ultra sounds, but not taking it all too seriously.  With that being said, I will be 13(ish) weeks tomorrow. 

Baby looked great on the ultra sound today, nice strong heartbeat, lots of movement.

The only think that is going to be not so great is being pregnant and HUGE ALL SUMMER, but that little bundle will be well worth it in the end! 

Kids really do say the darndest things....

Tonight we had the pleasure of going to church for a mid-winter picnic.  We have a Missionary from Guinea in town this week and tonight was kids night.

After an awesome meal of hot-dogs, deviled eggs, chips and cupcakes all the kids sat up front to sing songs and listen to the Missionary speak. Ila sang along with the songs even though she didn't know them and did the actions and was a delight to watch.

When the Missionary got up to speak he asked the kids a few questions.  It went something like this:
Missionary: Raise your hand if you can tell me what missionaries do.
   all the other older kids raise their hands, so Ila does too.
Older girl: They tell people about Jesus.
Missionary: Yes, good.  What else do they do?
   He points to Ila
Missionary: Yes?  Can you tell me what missionaries do?
Ila: Ummm....snowmens.
Missionary: Uhhh...well...yes, I'm sure some missionaries build snowmen. Not really in Africa though, we don't get snow!

A few minutes later he pulls out a carved hippo.  All the kids were really excited about it.
Missionary: Okay, raise your hands if you can tell me what this is.
Ila shouts "A HIPPO!" While all the other kids sat nicely with their hands up.

A few minutes later he showed a picture of the kids in his village at school.  He asked the kids to tell him what they saw.
Kids praying, kids clapping, black kids were some of the answers.  Then Ila says "white teeth!"
She was right, the kids sure did have white teeth!  It was pretty great that she noticed THAT though!

Then, while the Missionary continued to talk, Chessidy made some noise from the back of the room.  Ila turned around in her chair and whispered loudly, "Chessidy, SHHHHHH!"

The missionary was great, and all the kids seemed to really love his sharing, as did the adults, but I walked away laughing at my own child.  She is hilarious!  Trent and I were both surprised that she said anything because she usually gets shy when strangers ask her questions.  Seems like she is growing out of that a bit. She was the youngest kid up there, so we weren't expecting her to participate, but I'm sure glad she did.

I probably need to teach her about raising her hand though...

Girly Girls by Nicole

Children change us.  Not just in the becoming selfless, giving your everything, fill every moment of the day way.  They hopefully bring about maturity, a whole new level of love, patience we never thought possible and  a very different perspective on God, and how He loves us.

But that's not what surprises me.  Oh no, none of the above has surprised me one little bit.  There is a change that has occurred in me that has floored me, taken me off guard and surprised my pants off (literally).  It's the pinkalicious, princess lovin', dress wearing, costume sharing, play jewelry,  barbie collecting, girly squirly, change that has surprised me.  

Maybe I should rephrase the first sentence of this blog to say "GIRLS" change us.  

Before I had kids I was certain that if I had girls, they would be tom-boys through ad through.  I requested minimal pink at my baby shower for Ila, and felt a strange twinge of disgust with myself as I opened up pink outfits and thought "that is SO CUTE!"  Purple has and always be an acceptable color for my girls, and we LOVE purple in this house, but for some reason, pink has an Elmo like quality with girls that can't be matched.  What is it about that color that makes the world turn round? 

As I look back at the last three and some years, I have to laugh at the change my girls have brought about. I say things I NEVER would have thought I would say, like calling purple milk "princess milk."  Telling my mom that a Princess Barbie would be a more appreciated gift than a stuffed animal cat.  Asking Trent to fashion an old dresser into a wardrobe for the girls dress up clothes (which he did, and it's awesome).  Watching Ariel, Rapunzel, Jasmine, and others again and again.  Asking Ila if she wants to wear pink or purple. Agreeing with Ila when she looks at herself in the mirror and says "I'm a princess too"  as she dances around in her pink velvet princess jammies. Taking Ila to see the princesses and getting almost as excited as she was to see them, hug them and talk to them!

I have become a mom who embraces pink, princesses, dress up clothes, barbies, and all things girly.  My two little girls are girls to the core, and I rejoice in it.  I gladly put them in dresses and tights almost every Sunday because dressing up nice and girly is FUN!

Perhaps it's easy to accept and have fun with because they still play with cars, they run around and get dirty, they love rough-housing, we eat pretend bugs, hold snakes and play with legos.  Or maybe it boils down to just enjoying what my girls enjoy, because it's so much better, healthier, and FUN than forcing them to be something they aren't, or to enjoy something they don't.  

I love my girly tom-boy girls and I'm glad they brought me around to loving what they love!