My Gifts!

This little guy was wearing crocs and his pants and T-shirt. He was miffed when his father asked why he’s dressing more and more like a gangster these days. So, to solve the problem and NOT look like a gangster, he changed from black crocs to these olive green boots. “See!? Now I don’t look no like a gangster!”🫣

I overheard him telling one of his little sisters, what his father had said as I went in to check how far she was with getting dressed. (Not very far at all! She happily says she will get dressed but then tells you while holding her top , that her wolf pooped all night. Then there was a fox which also made a mess…Then the top gets thrown on the floor. You apparently can’t multitask dressing and talking. So the dressing falls by the wayside. The distractability is insane!)

She butted in, “Daddy say Mickey looks like a gangster?” And he chimed in, “Yes! So I changed my shoes, and now I don’t look like a gangster. (Hmm)

Mom..what IS a gangster?”😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣🤣

His irrepressible five year old sister told him, “It’s something bad! They rob people!”

Ahh. My morning giggle outweighs the fact that their other sister woke before me and was loud so I was unable to study my Bible nor do my discussion of a lovely book called The Desire of Ages with my friend.

This girl MUST have restless feet syndrome. She never ends up in the morning, the way she has been put to sleep! Her duvets and comforters are always diagonal, or falling off, or like today, rolled around her shoulders!

We had a shaky week but she has woken up happier. She came in crying at 3am, shaken to the core about a nightmare in which I was having seizures. I hugged her tight, she thanked me for helping her, I asked if she thought she could sleep again, she said yes.

When she awoke properly, she told me how she’d been in the house in the nightmare. Her father had told her to tidy her room. And then I came talking to her and carrying laundry but as I was walking, I started shaking uncontrollably and was foaming at the mouth. She screamed at me to stop working and lie down but I kept shaking and carrying the laundry basket and foaming.

Poor girl! I hugged her again and told her that I would pray for her to have an awesome night. She asked me again if I’m sure I’m not dying. I told her I don’t have any problems that tell me I’m dying soon so she must not worry. I prayed with her, prayed that she have a beautiful dream that will make her so happy…

Next morning was so different to those hiccuping tears.

She dreamt we were in a garden together, taking a walk. She asked if she could take one of the squirrels we were seeing, and I said no. As we walked and admired the beauty, we came across a rabbit. She asked if she could take the rabbit. And I said yes. And she was HAPPY! Whew! I’m relieved. She has gone through a round of nightmares and I hate that for her. I’m glad this was a once off.

Sabbath means treats! I had asked their brother to buy them Oreos but there were no boxes so he bought those little packs that only have four in each. And not four of a kind. So there was a mini sulk because one didn’t have the same as the other three. Until they realised they could exchange! Two golden, and two original! They came bounding in as I prepared their Nature lesson and were excited to tell me what they had figured out ON THEIR OWN!

What made me laugh was my dear five year old asking me, “So..How do you FEEL!?”

Hahaha. The correct answer could only be, “I am very proud of you for working together!”

Our girl doesn’t really use words together with actions. She has said the word ‘up’ when she wanted me to pick her up. But only once. She only names foods if they aren’t within reach of her to pull you to them. But this week she was splashing in the bath- splashing water out and truly enjoying the splat sound on the tiles! That’s soooo cool. A new way to entertain herself, guys! Later, as she played, she threw the water up and as it fell down, she said, “Tumbling DOWN!” She also whispered “Splash” after I had said it and then got louder and louder the more bath water she threw out the bath. It was like a little baby realising what water can do and playing that “I’m going to throw this down from my high chair so you have to keep picking it up” game. It was lovely! We needed two towels to soak it up, and she splashed poor Vi, but oh, her happiness made us both happy too.🥹And of course, the words that came with the actions were an added bonus! Just like watching a baby learn cause and effect.

I therefore sniggered today, after her town was referred to as baby, and she when her said she and our ten year old are big girls, she is not a baby! I asked, “But what about Ella? She’s 19. What is she?” Naynay confidently replied that three of them – five, ten and 19 years old are big girls BUT her twin sister is a little baby.🫣

With that understanding of her limitations, comes her solicitude towards her only two minutes younger twin sister. Hugging her, allowing her to get closer than she would allow US, not being irritated by her being close to her vs how she gets angry with her older siblings. It’s sweet!

And one last bit of sweetness. Thursday evening they went to choose treats. There was an elderly woman who saw them at her till while they were at their till. She waved at them, and they then took that as an opportunity to go to her, talk to her and “give the African granny a big hug! She said we made her day!”🥹

We have no idea what little gestures mean to others. They are extra sweet to the granny they meet at the playground too. Ammy shows they are a blessing to her because she lives alone, so at least they get to give her some conversation.🥹

There was blonde lady I once shared about who smelt me while in a shopping queue. She came to tell me I smelt like her late mother’s perfume and that it made her melt. She needed it. If smell can do that, I am sure my little ones are doing the Lord’s work for the elderly.

Those are my gifts. My special children with golden hearts. Hearts that woke up happy this Sabbath.