Finally...an update!

Hello Everyone!
Wow, I didn't realize it had been so long since my last update. Let me see if I can remember everything that has gone on in the last two weeks.

Elizabeth is doing very well. She is still working hard to help put a wonderful yearbook together. Every Thursday we have a long meeting that usually lasts most of the school day. Hopefully we will only need to have a few more of these. This past Wed. the 26th was the pinewood derby. Her car was really neat. She made it look like an Eagle. I will post pictures of both the girls' cars in the next few posts along with a bunch of other pictures. She didn't win any trophy's but I think she should have won a design trophy. Her car wasn't as polished as a few other cars but you could tell that she did it and not her dad. The other cars were so polished I question weather or not they were truly the work of the racer or the parent. Oh-well. In everything there are life lessons. Elizabeth is a very gracious non-winner (I hate the word loser b/c I don't think of her that way). I think she showed great character being happy for the winners. I have always told my girls that it is important to win gracefully. However, it is more important to lose gracefully b/c that is where true character is built.

Rebekah also entered the derby. She created a truly unique car that was quite pretty. She did an excellent job and in the end came in first place for speed! She received a beautiful first place trophy and will get her picture in the paper. I am so happy for her! She really deserved to win. I think sometimes she tends to play second fiddle to her big sis in a lot of ways so winning for her was extra special. It seems like she is just big enough to not be able to do the little kid things but not quite big enough for the big kid things. Also, everything just seems to come so easily to Elizabeth and not so easily to Rebekah. I am making it my goal this year to try and find things for Rebekah to do where she can excel without having to live in her sisters shadow.

Rebekah has been struggling with some breathing related issues this week. She is back on the neb as well as steroids and cough meds. My poor baby! It is so hard to listen to her struggle. The steroids are done tomorrow but we will continue the neb and cough meds until the 7th of April when she goes back to the Dr. At that time we will see if we need to continue what we are doing or look at other options. I want to discuss having her tested for allergens. Also, she has never officially been diagnosed with asthma but with Reactive Airway Disease so I want to know if that has changed. I have always hoped that she would outgrow these problems, but with every passing year that becomes less and less likely. I think I will start praying over her at night for healing. Our medical experts can do so much but prayer....well now that is a whole other thing. Can I get an Amen!

Rachel is as cute as ever. She now says dada, mama, hello, dog, and hey there. I think that is pretty good for 10 1/2 months. She is cruising really well now and standing for longer periods of time unassisted. I don't think it will be long before she takes off. Mike and I are going to have to devote some time in the next week putting locks on all the cabinets b/c she loves to get into EVERYTHING!!!!!

Rachel had her first official babysitter last night. Mike and I took Elizabeth and Rebekah to an Aaron Shust concert. My girlfriend Sherri watched her and I guess they had a really great time. We were gone for 4 hours and although she fussed a little when she started getting tired she did very well. This is the longest we have been apart and I am so thankful things went smoothly. It is sad in a way that she is growing up so fast and becoming so independent of me but I realize this is a good thing. The concert we took the girls to was really great. Arron is the girls' piano teacher's son. He is a big up and coming Christian artist. This past year he won five Dove awards and has had several songs hit the charts, one of which went to number one. Both Elizabeth and Rebekah love his music and were so thrilled that he was coming in concert. After the concert they even had an opportunity to meet him. He signed autographs for them and they got their picture taken with him. In all I think it is a night they will always remember.

Well, I think that brings the blog up to speed. I will try not to let so much time go between postings in the future. I love you all!
Christina