clapping

Lucy is really enjoying her hands--she learned to clap, and claps A LOT!

I love how she kind of gets distracted looking at them, slows it down to check out the process, and then just has to clap for how great at clapping she is :)

She is such a friendly girl!  She smiles and peeks at everyone we meet.  At the grocery yesterday, there was a large, kind of rough-looking man behind us in line.  She was leaning to the side to peek around me and she was smiling all twinkly-eyed like she does.  She said a big, "Hi!" and waved.  I turned around to see his reaction.  He was leaned forward and grinning right back.  He even waved!  We're making friends everywhere!

This was the first week of school.  It went SO well--I think I'm going to love my new job (teaching English learners in our district).  It's very different, but really good.  I HATED leaving Lucy, but I can tell she's having such a good time.  I walked in one afternoon to find her in an exersaucer, surrounded by 4 or 5 older kids, who were singing and keeping her entertained.  She LOVES the kids, and her sweet sitter.  I'm just missing her--it seems like we only get a few hours to play now.

Here is another little bit of her talking.  I like how she starts out smiley and then gets so serious!  And I love the lips all puckered out when she's serious.  So sweet!

crawling!

Well, there you have it folks!  She's on the move!  It's been so funny to see Lucy work up to crawling.  She got on her hands and knees for a long time and kind of rocked, but didn't go anywhere.  Then she frantically moved her arms and legs with her belly on th floor, and that didn't get her anywhere.  Finally, she figured out this kind of desperate army crawl.  Sometimes her legs are straight and her bum is way up in the air, sometimes there are lunges, but she's fallen into this manuever and it works!  She can get about anywhere she wants to go.  What's really fun is that I'll walk over to where she is (well, okay, dance and sing my way over) and she gets all excited and starts crawling toward me, like, "Don't worry about it, I'll meecha' half way."  What a big girl.

She's also really into giving kisses.  She gives one about any time I ask for one, but the best ones are the unsolicited ones.  We're just playing and laughing, and she gives me a big, drooly kiss (usually a whole lot of tongue!).  I can just see her sweet personality coming out more and more!  What a joy!

A praise/prayer update:  Thanks so much for praying for Bonnie and Justin.  Praise the Lord that they passed court and were able to spend some time with their sweet children.  Please keep praying, as they are waiting on some paperwork so that they can move on to embassy and get their little ones home!  You can see their blog at the right (Team Myers)

Also... I'm starting school Monday.  I'm really excited about my new job teaching English as a Second language to kiddos in our district!  BUT it's hard to give up that time with sweet Lucy.  She's got a wonderful care-giver, who obviously loves her, but just pray that it continues to go well and that Lucy knows how very loved she is!  Thanks!

waving and hi

Lucy Joy shows off two of her newest skills:

I'm pretty sure she's brilliant!

  (And sorry for all the Kristy "hi's" you were subjected to in that video.)

She waved at me when I got her up this morning.  She waved at the TV and said a cheerful "Hi!" to the mirror.  I think she's enjoying being able to communicate :)

Also:  PLEASE take a moment to pray for Bonnie and Justin, who have been waiting since September to get their hands on their children in Ethiopia.  They are scrambling to get there TODAY having just heard that they have a court date!  Please pray that they make it in time, that they pass court, and that their children are able to stay at the Transition house while they wait for embassy.  This sweet couple has faced some really rough set-backs and have really set a beautiful example of clinging to God's promises even in the midst of things not making sense and painful circumstances.  I'm praising God for this miricle court date--so PRAY please!

sweet and sad

I saw this note on another family's blog.  They adopted a boy, who was about 12 I think, from Ethiopia.  He wrote this note to our program director after hearing the news that he had a family.

It made me cry.
It made me admire the strength of this boy, who has had a difficult life but chose to praise God, be thankful, and look out for his friends.
It made me thankful that I've never been without my family.
It makes me think Lucy needs an older brother.

You can see this awesome family's blog and this post at:
http://6downand2-2go.blogspot.com/2011/07/picture-is-worth-thousand-words.html

Lucy's room

Lucy, it was time for you to move into your own room.  It sounds crazy, it seems we both highly value our sleep, so it seemed like a necessary step.  So we (with help from Angel and Jeremiah!) worked on your room, and I think you LOVE it! 

I love the dolls in the top middle--Olga, my favorite doll as a child, and a little doll from Ethiopia for Lucy are sharing space :)

You weren't nervous at all about sleeping there, but somehow I was nervous... so I just slept in there with you the first night. Neither of us even made a peep, so I think we're good to go!

And, because no blog post is complete without a little Lucy adorable-ness...

little cutie and the cute one

 Lucy, you LOVE your uncle John and he's crazy about you.  I snuck in and caught you two hanging out the other day, and it made me so happy to see two of my favorites enjoying each other!

You had to check out his glasses...

and his beard....

and his cool hat.

You love him!  He gets more kisses than I do! (I try not to be jealous.)

In fact, you think he's AMAZING! 

(Join the club :)  He's my hero, I guess he can be yours, too!)

9 months old



This sweet girl is 9 months old!  She's been home for 3 months.  She's SUCH a big girl :)

She's pushing up and thinking REALLY hard about crawling.  Unfortunately, many of her best and most enthusiastic attempts have her arms and legs raised off the ground and her stomach touching.  Just a few logistical errors :)

I found her like this the other day.  She had been given a toy or two, but little miss curious tipped the whole basket over and then went exploring for treasures.

She found a little shark, one of her favorites, so it was a successful mission!  (PS  Is it weird that my sweet little girl loves her shark, mouse, and donkey toys so very much?  And ducks.  Lots of ducks.)

It just seemed like such a "big girl" thing to do to go exploring.  She's definitely growing up!

AND, she's laughing!  You know that she was slow to laugh, so I was so pleased with the little haha's we were getting.  But I wanted a CHUCKLE, you know?  Well, it's like someone flipped a switch this last week, and my sweet Lucy is laughing, chuckling, and squealing with delight.  Oh, it's SO nice to hear!  Below is one of her first ones... it's been outdone many times over, but it's really hard to catch on video!  Tadaa....

Lucy brings SO much joy to my life! 

And my Mama's middle name is Joy, and I added it to Lucy's name while I was finishing up all her paperwork.

I love my Lucy Joy Tesfanish Northcutt!!