We began sponsoring a beautiful little girl this month. Her name is Joceline and she lives in West Africa. I specifically chose her because you girls have the exact same birthday, right down to the year. So we call you two twins! You've been really interested in learning about her and where she lives. You like finding where she lives on the map and are always amazed at how far it is from Florida. We've had some pretty somber conversations about her. Like how the money we send her won't be used to buy Elsa dolls, crayons, and pizza. "What do you MEAN she doesn't have clean water?!" "How come she doesn't have medicine if she's sick? If she gets SICK, she has to have MEDICINE!" "Wait, she doesn't have a BIBLE? But she NEEDS a Bible!" This has been a nice lesson for you to learn about how fortunate we are to live where we live (a house, a safe neighborhood, a quiet city, a nice state in a free country) and to have what we have (Daddy's job, family, medicine, books, healthy food, church, education). We've sent her a picture of our family to connect her with people who she knows are praying for her, and we've mailed her some letters. You're also working on writing a 'Note-y Picture' (what you call a picture on one side of the paper and a letter on the other side) to her. One day, I hope we'll have the means to travel as a family to meet Joceline and love on her in person.
You've added to your list of future aspirations. When you grow up, you either want to be an animator, an illustrator, or [the new one] a judge on a cupcake baking show.
Me: So pretty much, you just want to get paid to eat cupcakes?
You: Yep!
Me: I like the way you think.
You were sick over Christmas, you poor thing. I don't know what it was, but it sure as heck caused you some serious internal distress. And, in keeping with Natalie tradition, you refused to suffer in silence. You whined and wailed and moaned and cried and dramatically flung your head up to your forehead. Thankfully Bob was here to play with Charlie because there was no way you were letting me out of your sight, let alone earshot. I mean, if you can't whine to your momma, WHAT'S THE POINT.
You got a neat Lego set for Christmas. In my mind, it would take you at least a few weeks to put it together. And the day after Christmas, you had successfully put together over half of it. I imagine you'd have finished the whole thing if you had felt better. Clearly you've outgrown your inability to put together Lego sets without dissolving into millions of teardrops (like you did this past summer - on a set that was probably 1/10 of the size of your new one). I like that growth, kid.
Speaking of Christmas, you are Christmas decoration CRAZY! You love the tinsel, garland, wreaths, Nativity sets, lights, the blow-up Christmas critters, the whole shebang. You've taken it upon yourself to redecorate our Christmas about a dozen times. 90% of the ornaments are now hanging precariously on the bottom third of the tree. It's, um, oh what's the word ... charming?? In my mind, I think I'd like a fancy tree, looking like a page from Better Homes and Gardens. And maybe I'll have that one day. But right now, I'm OK with my lopsided, skinny tree that's full of homemade Popsicle ornaments and gaudy snowflake ornaments (that you picked out because we just HAD to have them). BHG ain't got nothing on that.
Hugs and smooches,
Mommy & Daddy
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Headlines for January 1, 2015:
- AirAsia Flight 8501: Searchers Race 'Against Time and Weather'
- NY Man Breaks World Record for Most Champagne Bottles Sabered in One Minute
- 36 dead in New Year's stampede in Shanghai
- Earthquake off coast shakes northern California
- American Girl's 2015 Girl of the Year: Meet Grace Thomas, Baker and Entrepreneur
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