My Sunshine

If it wasn't such a hippie-sounding name, I think we should have named Gabriella "Sunshine" because she really is that cheerful, all the time. Of course she has her moments of fussiness and temper tantrums (try putting her to bed) but for the most part, she is a happy little bundle of smiles. It's amazing how I can be exhausted, or grumpy, or frustrated, and suddenly look down and see this little dimpled face smiling at me, and that all falls away. (I'm sure we will pay for all this cheerfulness later, and she will be the world's most moody teenager, but we'll enjoy it while we can! ;-)

Her sweet little nature has really encouraged me in a couple of ways the last few days. On Saturday night, we were at my parents' house with a bunch of family and friends for Lydia/Robert/Dad's birthday, and some of the family had gathered in the living room playing the piano and singing worship songs. Gabriella wandered in there and, after they finished one song, she started singing it - to her own words, but in the exact same key as the song they had been singing! I suppose this shouldn't have surprised me, since this was the baby who, when I was 9 months pregnant with her and went to the opera for my birthday, started kicking in time with the tympani! She certainly seems to have an exception affinity to music - it will be interesting to see how that develops as she gets older.

And then yesterday, we were just finishing lunch when she noticed the Bibles sitting on the green shelf where we always keep them. Each child has their own Bible, and the kids and I try to start off every school day by praying and reading a story from each person's Bible.She ran over, grabbed up the Bibles, and distributed them to their appropriate owners. It was very clear she thought it was "Bible time," so we all went to the couch to read our Bibles. I wish I could finish this story by saying all the children sat still and behaved and read their Bibles...but in reality all three of them wiggled and fussed and we had some scoldings and spankings before we made it through. That's pretty much a typical day doing Bible - they are all still learning that they must sit still and quietly during this time. Many days the constant disciplining is so frustrating I want to just give up, and try again when they're older. But moments like yesterday remind me why it's so important to keep doing it, even when it's a fight. I'm not sure that Gabriella really understands or gets anything out of the Bible stories we read - yet. But the fact that she knows that this ritual is somehow important to our day and shouldn't be forgotten means that, on some level, Bible time is working. The understanding will come - it's already starting to for Joseph, and I know James and Gabriella will follow when they are able.

Now every time I am frustrated by their refusal to sit still or be obedient during Bible, I will remember my little 19-month old girl fetching the Bibles for everyone. It was like a little reminder from God that what I do really does matter.