Signs of Life

We've been here 6 months and still haven't seen as much rain in that entire time as a good summer rain in Ohio. Yet the cacti keep growing, and we are learning to appreciate their more extreme beauty.
2010 has been interesting to say the least. Elspeth is growing so fast now that I find myself grabbing her for hugs with the knowledge that soon her innocence will change and there will be a restraint in her hugs that is not there now.

Addie begged me to take her picture on a turtle, about 500 0f them. It was totally random, and reminded me that both my girls are characters.

Elspeth turned 5 last week. We delivered Valentine's cards to several local nursing homes on Sunday. The people I visit enjoy my visits, but it quickly became clear that my gift to them was bringing Elspeth. She doled out the huggs and kisses freely, and stopped to talk to anyone who wanted to engage her. She used her most polite voice and words. I thought my gift to them was bringing her, but I so enjoyed her being a wonderful human being, that I realized it was a great big gift to myself. It is a truly gratifying moment to realize you are raising a nice individual. Of course we came home and she pushed her sister, but you can't have it all.

Addie is finally willing to conceed that potty use might be OK. She earned a Blue Lightening McQueen (in photo with her) by filling a potty chart. Today she went potty by herself for the first time. I had no idea what was going on until she ran out with no pants on, ahh, I was proud.

Last fall Elspeth received a packet of sunflower seeds. The woman at the booth warned that these would be difficult to grow. Ella "planted" them under the rocks in our yard and watered them one time last August. I did not tell her they would never grow, but she mourned them for several days when they didn't immediately sprout up. Our rainy season is now upon us so Ella and I were weeding the backyard. I nearly pulled these two up, until I noticed they are still wearing their seed pods, two of her seeds have actually germinated. She has named them Sunny and Rock.

Proof that life happens, even when you least expect it.