"Are All the Children In?"

I came across this poem again from James Dobson's book called _The New Dare to Discipline_. Because of how meaningful it is to me, I thought I would share it here with you all. The first time I read it, it touched my heart so deeply that I found myself sloppy with tears. As I read it again, I really hope to be this kind of mom who cares for all aspects of her children, including their little hearts. I hope you like it, too. :) (This one goes out especially to my dear friend Sarah B. who will one day make an excellent mother, as the LORD wills.)

"Let me leave you with this wonderful old poem written by Alice Pearson. It focuses on the most vital responsibility in parenting - that of introducing our children to Jesus Christ and getting them through this dangerous and turbulent world. That should be, after all, the ultimate goal for every believing parent the world over.


Are All the Children In?

I think oftimes as night draws nigh,
Of an old house on the hill,
And of a yard all wide
And blossom-starred
Where the children played at will.
And when the night at last came down
Hushing the merry din,
Mother would look around and ask,
"Are all the children in?"

Oh, it's many and many a year since then,
And the old house on the hill
No longer echoes to childish feet,
And the yard is still, so still.
But I see it all as the shadows creep,
And though many the years have been since then,
I can hear mother ask,
"Are all the children in?"

I wonder if when the shadows fall
On the last short earthly day;
When we say goodbye to the world outside
All tired with our childish play;
When we step out into the other land
Where mother so long has been,
Will we hear her ask,
Just as of old,
"Are all the children in?"

Fall Festival

Fall has arrived here in College Station, and though it may not be in the 70s for a high, at least it's not in the 90s. :)

We've joyfully marked Fall's arrival with pumpkins and mums on the front porch, a visit to the pumpkin patch, and our church's country fair last Wednesday. Enjoy these recent pics!!























































In this pic, she's holding a little toy mouse that kids could hide among the pumpkins.




















































































































For this one, it's important for you to know that it took us ten tries to get her peeking from behind the hay. Due to my older digital camera and her quick "peek-a-boos" we had many takes of this shot! But it is one of my favorites after all that work. :)




















This last pic is from the Country Fair at our church. E was dressed up as a "flower girl." I know, I know. You're thinking, "But hasn't she actually BEEN a flower girl?" Yes, but I am much too practical to go out and buy a costume when we've got such great stuff around the house!

School Pictures!

Hey guys, I thought you'd be interested in seeing E's school pics from her preschool program. The photographer was amazing and got E to pose and smile genuinely for the camera. So darling, if I do say so myself.









I guess the only thing left to say is, "Who wants one"? ;)

P.S. I know there are the super-observant among you who will ask why I covered one up. Well, it's at a perpendicular angle to the others and a little too small to see. But there are three other great ones. :)

Hair Matters

Elizabeth, in the course of becoming more independent, has discovered a love for playing dress-up. Not only does she layer new clothes on top of her existing outfit, but she also loves to fix others' hair!

Case in point this past weekend: I left her basket of bows and clips on the counter in her bathroom as I was rearranging and reorganizing her room. She quickly found these, and the accompanying hairbrush, and went to town.




































Then, our dear friends John and Allison came over, and E had a real live subject to test her skills on. Allison graciously agreed. (It should be noted that Miss Amber was actually E's first guinea pig earlier in the week, but we have no pics of that hairdo!)
















E made quick work of Allison's hair. Here's a pic of the final product. (Notice also that E had layered some more clothes on top of her actual outfit. The result was surprising stylish, all things considered.)




















And the final pic is a keeper! E gives Allison a hug while keeping an eye on her bows. "You know you don't get to take those home, right Miss Allison?"

Elizabeth's Friends: A Pictorial Directory

I realized recently that I refer to different friends of Elizabeth, but that some may not know who those people are. So, I thought it would be extremely helpful to have a brief reference guide right here on the blog to refer to when in need.

To begin with, E has two distinct group of friends: peers and young adults. Her two best peer friends you may remember are Maxwell and AnnaJoy. The young adult friends are mostly those with whom we labor in the college ministry. Below is a quick reference and tidbit about each. :)

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Miss Amber is a beloved friend and sometimes babysitter. Because of her confidence with and love for E, she is really more like an aunt to her. She is married to Mr. Daniel and has a great Beagle named "Wrigley."




















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Ethan. What can one say about this young man? Last year, E had a bit of a crush on Ethan, but this year it has developed into a friendship. She loves to play with him, have him chase her, and be silly with him. E is quick to pick up any passing reference to Ethan and is probably his biggest fan, save his own parents. Ethan is a godly young man and one of our beloved interns.















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Mr. Jamey (on the left) is like a rock star to Elizabeth. Since he leads worship at church on Sundays and plays the guitar, she is very intrigued with him. He also is very sweet to play with her and sometimes let her hang all over him like a monkey. Mr. Jamey is married to Miss Heather, and E loves them both.


Mr. Trey (on the right) is one of E's newest friends. In the first few years of her life, E would cry at the introduction of any new male figure in her life. (Her dad was happy about this, hoping it would continue for awhile and delay dating for many years.) However, Mr. Trey is special because she immediately took a shine to him when she met him just this past August. She quickly adopted him as a friend and loves to see him whenever he is there. Mr. Trey is married to Miss Marci (see below).















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Ahhh, Miss Julie, a long-time friend. E has known Miss Julie and her husband, Mr. Blake, her whole life, and they were some of the first non-family to take care of her. E enjoys talking with Miss Julie and telling her all of the latest happenings in her life. Miss Julie is a GREAT listener!!















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Miss Marci, as mentioned above, is Mr. Trey's wife and an immediate hit with Elizabeth. Because of Miss Marci's sparkling personality and joyful greetings, Elizabeth has come to love her and want to see her as much as possible. I predict a great friendship for these two. :)




















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"No, no, Mr. Marty," is one of E's frequent refrains when around one of her dearest friends, Mr. Marty, not because he's necessarily done anything wrong but just because she likes to be silly with him. E absolutely LOVES playing with Mr. Marty and will even run to him and give him a big hug. He makes her giggle and smile every time they play, and their friendship is so sweet. He is dating one of our favorite people, Miss Andrea. But alas, I have no picture of her.















There are a few more friends whose pictures I don't have right now. As soon as I have more, I will add on to this post. But I hope this gives you a better idea of who these folks are. We love each one and are truly thankful for the godly, mature, and loving influence they have on our daughter. We are so fortunate to know them and have them in our lives and hers.