beautiful exchange

Its approaching bedtime at the Terry household today, I began to lay down Isaac. I was just about to tell him a story when he said, "You know mom, there is this girl in my class at the Austin Stone named Story and she is cute." Internal mama gasp. Yet... I tried to keep calm and carry on. I even made "Story" the central character of our naptime story. Take that toddler crush.

Then just after naptime the little miss came up to me with shorts she had gotten out of her drawer and says, "Mama, dese (these) not cute." I could not believe my ears that I asked my 21 month old to repeat herself. She said it again verbatim. The mother/daughter clothes debate has begun.

If that were not enough for one day, tonight Isaac says to me, "mama, you know when you were acting ugly on Monday. Are you sorry for that?" Its good thing that the day started off with Isaac reminding sister me about the beautiful exchange. :)

I'm ending where we began.

wonder of it all

Elyana, your 18 months has been for me a joy and a redemption of God's design for femininity. You are joyful and you are learning how to express your emotion. You are strong and you are learning how to follow authority. You are servant hearted and you are learning how to do all things domestic.

You flit about the house doing each task as if an act of worship. You giggle as you put every single utensil in its intended slot. You meticulously place each article of clothing in the dryer as if you were robing royalty with parcel. You take toys out and "cleam up" as if you were preparing a home for kings. Your heart for the domestic continually reminds me to find joy and thanksgiving in the mundane (and dreaded) items around our home.

Dare I say you still remain a mama's girl and mama doesn't protest one bit. I am soaking up every ounce. I pray that God would always keep our hearts knitted together regardless of the plans He has for you.

You have all kinds of things to say that make us all chuckle with amusement. A few of those:

You loved to be out in the "jardin" and picking the "omatoes." You enjoy riding the golf cart and doing "blass off" with daddy. Your favorite thing to do outside is to "sfing."



Lets be honest. You would go anywhere, do anything as long as you were in this little guy's shadow. The sun rises and sets with Mr. Isaac. "Where I-zeek go?"


In this family, you are the one who loves Madi the most. hands down.


A few of her favorite foods are every kind of fruit under the sun, turkey, "cacker," "fruit bar", "cado" (avocado), "cumbers" (cucumbers), and her all time favorite is 'smoomies."

And the shirt comes off whenever they are served.




Her favorite activity is to "nuggle" and she likes to do it all throughout the day. It is such a blessing to this mama.



As you have approached 18 months, the firecracker has come out too. You love for Isaac to chase you around and even tackle you (to mama's disapproval). You like to be heard, have been known to bite when things don't go how you like, know how to fiercely say "no," and you are working on being gentle with babies.

I see God's sweet grace and you just melt my heart when...

you sing in your bed at night

sit in the back seat saying, "daddy, i love you daddy" "isaac, I love you isaac" "mommy, I love you mommy"

giggle with glee at the tiniest things.

sit still while isaac "fixes" your hair

when you share your most favorite things

request "Jesus" song

call the Bible the "b-i-b-i"

when you tell mommy "forgib you" when mommy asks for forgiveness when I'm grumpy


I love you, sweet princess.