Evening with Abuela and Popeye

Ella spent a few hours with my parents last night and my mom sent this email this morning recounting the highlights :-)

 

Last night as we were driving to your house, we were all quiet for a moment.  Ella then said, "Abuela, pause, Popeye, pause...I want to tell you....I REALLY LOVE YOU GUYS, I REALLY, REALLY LOVE YOU GUYS. "  We both choked up and responded, "we really love you too"  She responded....I Love you guys.

 

It was such a moving moment...Daddy and I looked at each other and the tears welled up...as they are now. She seemed to be practicing  "you guys" but in her voice, in her eyes and on her face...there was deep feeling.

 

Daddy went into David's to get Cherry juice...At one point we could not see him, in spite of the fact that all the walls are made of clear glass. Ella asked, why did Popeye leave us?  I explained that he went to get Cherry juice...I said, what color shirt is he wearing....She said RED!  That was followed immediately  by Ella singing loudly ...Jeshush loves the little children, all the children of the world, RED and yellow, black and white, they  are preciouis in his sight, Jeshush loves the little children of the world...HEY THERE IS THE RED SHIRT.  There is Popeye...Popeye loves us. He is coming back. (so typical of 3 year olds fear of abandoment and separation).

 

Dr. Andre, my friend stopped in for about 30 minutes.  We were sitting in the foyer.  Ella ran in, introduced herself spontaneously, pulled up her rocking chair, sat down and joined in the conversation, talked quite appropriately...then suddenly disappeared.  She came back 5 minutes later and announced to me and to my friend.  "I DID IT.  I went poo-poo by myself and flushed and I washed my hands"  Dr. Andre applauded her.  We celebrated.  She responded..."Thank you very much!!"

 

At one point before we left, my left foot was hurting something awful...I sat and Ella asked, "can I help you?"  I said, Pray for my foot.  She reached down and touched my foot, then jumped up and ran to the kitchen...Popeye, we have to pray for Abuela's foot and I don't know how to do it by myself.  They both came and she reached down and touched my foot and closed her eyes...Daddy had no choice but to pray.

 

What a splendid afternoon and evening.

Share the Cantelope

Before Ella's nap we read a story about Christmas Elves who discovered that some kids didn't need toys but instead needed food so they brought some families a Christmas feast and toys. We talked about how some famlies don't have very much money and they don't have enough food and how it's good to help them. I told her that sometimes Gideon (our adopted Compassion Intl. child) and lots of kids in Africa don't have enough food sometimes too. I didn't know if she'd get it but it was worth mentioning. Then she napped (read: laid in her bed and talked/cried/sang for 45 minutes).

She's been up for a few minutes and was playing. Then, she walked into our bedroom where I was (the furthest point in the house from the kitchen) carrying a whole cantelope. I didn't want to startle her and make her drop it so I tried to remain calm.

Me: Ella! You got the cantelope!
Ella: Yeah! From the refrigerator! (It was in a drawer too-I have no idea how she managed this)
Me: Wow! Well, let's be careful with it so we don't drop it on your feet. Let's go put it back!
Ella: NO! We can't, it's for the children.
Me: Huh?
Ella: The children don't have any food so let's go give it to them ok?
Me: Oooohhh. You're right Ella, some kids need food and that's very nice to want to give it to them. Who should we give it to?
Ella: (still holding the cantelope) How 'bout Miss Jen?
Me: I think they have enough food.
Ella: How 'bout Uncle David and Aunt Jew-ee (Julie)?
Me: Why?
Ella: They can give it to Africa! (Dave and Julie just got back from a missions trip to Cameroon)
Me (laughing): that's a good idea! But maybe we'll keep this cantelope and send some money so they can buy some food in Africa.
Ella: ok. This watermelon is heavy Mom. But I'm strong.


Also, as I'm writing this she was "reading" a nail polish bottle and said "this says dear Ella, you should pray." She said, let's pray and held my hand and said
"Dear God, thank you for the sun and for the Lord. Let's be nice. And I pray for Lexi and Aunt Holly. The End. I mean Amen"