Big Sister or Little Sister

The other day Kimmie's sister was helping with her. I said to Kimmie, "Is your big sister taking good care of you?" Then I thought about that and said to Kimmie, "Is your little sister taking good care of you?"

It's always a dilemma. Is Bethany the "big sister" because she's a foot taller than Kimmie? Or is Bethany the "little sister" because she's three years younger than Kimmie?

Bethany admits that she sometimes forgets that she's the youngest. When people ask her, she often stumbles over her answer.

I told Bethany, let's settle this. We'll ask Kimmie if you are the "big sister" or the "little sister." So we did.

Now it is all settled. According to Kimmie, Bethany is her big sister.

--Mom

Kimmie's New Collection

I've mentioned before that Kimmie is a collector. For a while it was Care Bears. She would pick a color and we would have to search high and low for that color Care Bear. As soon as she had that one she would pick another color. We were saved from that obsession when they were taken off the market. But there's only a couple of them that we are missing.

Several months ago Kimmie came up with something new she wanted. A Star Wars light saber sword. I looked at them in the store and they are about four feet long. Almost as long as Kimmie is tall. Why do they make these things so long? Kids could do some real damage. I was looking for one much shorter, but the short ones only come in a set with a long one.

Anyway. Kimmie spotted the set with the short and long one when she was at the store with me one day. She jumped out of the cart (as in the bench seat at the back of an extra long cart--NOT the basket part of the cart, that's a scary thought), grabbed the box and put it under her arm. In other words, nobody's getting this away from her without a fight (or screaming fit). So she became the proud owner of a set of Star Wars light saber swords that light up, and the long one makes noise. Blue light saber swords. They also had red ones on the shelf.

Well, she enjoyed the blue ones for several months, and then she started in with "red". So now we have two sets of light saber swords. She especially enjoys holding the short ones and having one for each hand. It takes two hands for her to handle the long ones.

When she has the short ones in each hand it looks like she might be ready to direct airport traffic, or play the drums, or direct a music and light show.

Thankfully, I have not seen any other colors but red and blue.

--Mom

Kimmie's New Chair

After Kimmie's scoliosis surgery it became apparent that we really needed to find her a chair that fit her small size. When she sits on the couch, she is just perched on the front edge. If she leans back, she looks terribly uncomfortable and awkward. Mostly she lays on the couch because sitting is not comfortable.

I was skeptical that we would find something that would fit her. It seemed like all the children's furniture that I had seen was sized more for preschoolers rather than maybe an eight to ten year-old.

We were pleasantly surprised to find, at the second store we went to, a chair that fits Kimmie perfectly. And it matches the family room. It's not going to win any style awards, but it's not hideous either.

At first she wasn't sure what to make of it, but day after day she would sit in it more and more. Now, it is usually the first place she goes to sit. She may eventually get down on the floor to play, but usually she sits in her chair first.

When she plays on the Playstation, she sits in her chair. When there is a TV show on that she really wants to see, she usually sits in her chair. It helps that her chair is closer to the TV.

One of the best purchases we've ever made.

--Mom

Just Perfect

"You are worthy, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
and by your will they were created
and have their being."
Revelation 4:11

I love verses like this one. I always think of Kimmie.

God created her just the way He wanted her to be.

She may not fit society's standards, but that's ok, because she's just the way God intended her to be.

And we think she's just perfect.

Ok, maybe there are some things she could improve on . . . . . . like everyone else, but you know what I mean . . . . . . she doesn't need to be fixed or healed, she's perfect just the way she is.

After all, she doesn't need to be able to talk for God to know what's in her heart. And she doesn't need to be able to multiply and divide to touch another person's heart with her smile or her hug or her laugh.

Just perfect.

--Mom

The Panda Mask

Kimberly is in art right now at school. We weren't sure how this would go since she really cannot use sharp tools and is always sticking her fingers in everything. But, she actually seems to be doing well in art.

She is especially proud of the panda mask she made. Evidentally paper mache is right up her alley. Something she can get her hands in.

She carried the panda mask home the other day and showed it to everyone. Her teacher observed that it looked like something you'd buy in a store. Not sure I'd go that far, but it is really nicely done.

She likes to put it up over her face, although she can't see out since she wouldn't let them put holes in eyes. She carries it around the house, hugging on it. When she stops playing with it, we'll probably hang it in her room. It's definitely a keeper.

--Mom