Happy 3rd Birthday, Ella!

Ella helping Mommy make cookies...as you can see, she's my taste-tester too!

Our youngest daughter is three now. And what a fun 3-year-old she is! Her sense of humor and silliness keeps us laughing. Her affection towards her family melts our hearts. She adores her sister. She is enraptured by her daddy. And she mimics her mommy's every move. We simply want to envelope her in our arms every chance we get!

Here are some things Ella is doing now:

* Her giggles are amazing!

* She loves to play make-believe anything. Dolls, dress-up, talking on the phone...ANYTHING!

* She is a very picky eater, but what she does love she devours immediately.

* She gives the BEST hugs.

* She loves to "read" books by herself.

* Second to her reading by herself, she really likes it when Catelyn sits and reads to her.

* She knows many worship songs and loves singing them loudly in the house.

* She prays for everything...and I mean, everything: her books, her stuffed animals, her family, the window, etc.!

* She would not make a very good veterinarian (our poor kitty cat). Maybe one day that will change.

* She is really into the Disney Princesses now. She loves to dress up like them.

* She prefers drinking over eating. Put something in liquid form and she's all over it!

* She loves to take pictures. She calls them "smiles."

* Her favorite sentence that she says multiple times a day, "I don't wanna go to bed!" (even if she just woke up 5 minutes ago.)

Happy birthday, Ella! We love you.

Happy 6th Birthday, Catelyn!

[Because we will be out of town on their actual birthdays, I am posting these birthday posts a few days early!]

My little girl is six years old now. Wow. I am so proud to be her mommy. She truly is a joy (her middle name). Her heart for people is simple, yet deep. Her compassion and care is exemplary. Her creativity is inspiring. Her love for God is evident. What a gift we have in her! I enjoy watching her grow up. I'm thankful she is in my life, and that I've been entrusted to be her Mommy.

My friend does a little interview of their kids on their birthdays. I thought the idea was cute, so I interviewed Catelyn.

What is your favorite color? Yellow, pink, purple and green! I don't like just one.

What is your favorite animal? A cute little puppy.

What is your favorite food? A fresh salad with ranch dressing. (Yes, she loves salad!)

What is your favorite season? Spring, because of the pretty flowers.

What is your favorite weather? Snow.

What is your favorite word? God, Jesus, and Holy Spirit. They are one...so that is one word, right?

What is your favorite song? Your Great Name.

What is your favorite movie? The Chronicles of Narnia - all of them.

What is your favorite place? Here with my family.

What grade are you in? 1st grade.

What is your favorite subject in school? Art while Mommy reads a good book to me.

What is your favorite part of your day? Ella's nap time. That's when the house is quiet and I get to play alone for a little while.

Who is your best-friend? Ella.

What do you want to be when you grow up? What you are, Mommy...a good wife and mommy. (sigh...I love her.)

What have you learned while you were five years old? I learned about the world that God made. It's big.

What do you want to do now that you're six years old? I want to go to Ohio and play with my Nanas.

What do you do for fun? I like to act.

Finish this sentence: I want people to know this one thing...Jesus!

Cake or Cupcakes? Cupcakes! They're cute!

What is your favorite ice-cream flavor? Vanilla with sprinkles and gummy bears.

Happy birthday, Catelyn. We love you!

It's Birthday Celebration Week

This is probably the most fun week for our girls...their birthday week. Our girls birthdays are only one day apart. Ella's is on the 12th and Catelyn's on the 13th. We like to make a big deal out of their birthdays - because it is their special day (we don't lavish lots gifts upon them at Christmas because it's Jesus' special day). So, this is the time when they get showered with lots of gifts, blessings, and fun stuff! The celebration starts tonight with a private family celebration for Ella. Then tomorrow we will have a friends party at a local play place, followed by a private family celebration for Catelyn. Then on Sunday, we will head to Malaysia (yes, another country!) to take a week-long birthday vacation with the girls, where we will eat fun food, go see a movie in a theater, pick out a birthday toy at Toys R' Us (YES...there is a Toys R' Us where we're going!), go to a butterfly park, swim in a pool, and anything else fun we find to do! Good times will be had! I'm so thankful for our daughters...we enjoy them so much.

More birthday posts and pics coming...

A Typical Weekday Morning

Just a typical morning in the Kirkwood home - schooling.

I love teaching my girls! It brings such joy to my heart to pour my life into theirs.

It's Been Two Years

Today marks the two-year anniversary of our arrival in Indonesia. In celebration of this occasion, we have listed 25 things that we've learned in these past two years.

Here they are in no particular order...

1. Even the smartest of people can feel very stupid when not able to communicate well. Resorting back to talking like a toddler to a group of adults is very humbling.

2. One doesn't need to possess a lot of things to display generosity.

3. An "uncomfortable" life invites unimaginable blessings.

4. Children make friends quickly despite language barriers.

5. Cookies go a long way in making friends!

6. What is considered dirty to one person, is clean to another.

7. Often times we are out-loved by the ones we've come to love.

8. Living in the tropics means living with LOTS of humidity. Great for the complexion, not so great for the curly hair!

9. The storehouse of rain is often opened up right above our house.

10. Having more is frequently embarrassing.

11. The Bible speaks more loudly and clearly when reading it from an uncomfortable life than a comfortable one.

12. We have MANY people who love us and support us back in the States!

13. We rent our house from the ants. We get in their way, not the other way around.

14. Cooking from scratch is fun and gives a sense of accomplishment.

15. It is completely acceptable for a family of 4 to ride on a motorcycle together.

16. There is no need to check the weather channel to find out the weather...its always the same.

17. UHT milk is still disgusting.

18. Skype is a great blessing.

19. Poverty has a face.

20. The sun here can dry clothes faster than a dryer.

21. God's creation is truly beautiful.

22. A smile can melt away cultural differences.

23. Sleep is necessary.

24. Health is important.

25. The hope that we have in Christ is tangible and real.