The fascination of diversity

Our little family includes two boys and a girl, and I love how incredibly different they all are. I wouldn't have thought their personalities would have emerged so distinctly, so soon, but anyone who knows them will agree that they have!

I have Joseph, 3 1/2, highly intelligent, an intellectual (he begs to do schoolwork every day), extremely talkative and articulate, and very artistic - he loves to draw.

Then we have James, 2 1/2, very physical (he walked at 8 months), strong, silent type, loves outside, nature, his favorite toys are sticks, rocks, bugs, and of course dirt! He is also fascinated by mechanical things, and is constantly trying to use Daddy's tools.

And finally, Gabriella, the baby, 11 months, the people lover and people pleaser, very interactive, always smiling, and happy as long as she has someone around to adore her; also very "chatty" in her baby babble.

Don't believe me? Here is an example from the other day to illustrate:

It had just rained the day before, and all 3 kids were playing outside, with me observing and sometimes interacting. Each child had picked an activity that perfectly displayed his/her personality:

Joseph had an old paintbrush and was dipping into the puddles of water and painting pictures on the outside wall, commentating about his artwork the entire time: "look, it's Thomas the steam engine! Thomas has the number 1. Now I draw Percy...."

James had overturned his wagon, which was full of water, thus making a lovely mud puddle in the dirt. He was spinning the wheels of the wagon around and around, trying to figure out the mechanism that made them spin.

Gabriella was picking up the soccer ball and then rolling it toward me so I would kick it softly back to her, smiling and babbling at me the whole time.

And I just smiled and watched the whole thing, amazed at how different and wonderful my three children are - and even more amazed at the God Who created them that way.