Hamily Home Feveling

This post really has nothing to do with the title. I just didn't want to forget what Lucy calls our special Family Home Evening monday nights. She's excited because she chose S'mores for the treat tomorrow and even though it's Daddy's night to choose treat, he said that sounds good too.
Here's Lucy and Kate playing at Bubba's wedding. Lately our dear Lucy has blossomed into a sweet girl. She really is a joy to have around. She hasn't minded a little extra elbow room now that Sam is back in school. She and Ben seem to understand each other's business pretty well and play together swimmingly. She started preschool and even though it took her some time to warm up, she likes it more and more. It's a Lutheran school, so she comes home with new stories about Jesus and fun, spirited songs like "this is the day the Lord has made" where they all cheer and rejoice at the end.

She was only willing to stay the first day of preschool because she found out the class pet turtles are named Lucy and Lucky. Only one turtle lives there now. I just asked Lucy where the other turtle went and she said "Lucy (the turtle) went to another home. She went where there's a big river." Sounds like how my parents always told me our pet dogs were moving to a big farm somewhere....

Here are a few Lucy'isms:
prayer: "Please bless Jesus that he will fall in love with us and our family will be happy."

joke: L:"Knock knock." Me: "Who's there?" L:"Apple Banana Split!"
Then she laughs and laughs and says, "Uh, I don't really get it yet." I don't either, I think.

Lucy Loves: dancing, coloring with markers, swimming, playing with Afton and Claire, making forts and putting Ben "to bed," playing piano, jumping on the trampoline, visiting with Karin (our neighbor who always has a stash of M&M's), having girl time, painting toenails, Skyping with Grandma, wearing skirts, boating, cleaning windows, making her bed, her dolls, and her blankies,

Lucy and Afton at the lake.

Lucy doesn't love: Shots, brothers when they tease, scary new things, church when her teachers aren't there, getting her hair done (she only stopped wearing her Tinkerbell headband she's had since March because it cracked in half -- that was the only thing she'd put in her hair), tubing behind the boat (I could see her mouthing "Slow down" the whole time she was on it), and people playing with her special dolls.

As Ben said one day, "Lucy, you were bwave!" Lucy has had to be brave as she's continued with JRA (Juvenile Rhuematoid Arthritis) treatments. She's kind of getting better at her weekly shots. We always remind her how Grandpa Frank passes out when he sees needles. She thinks Grandma Frank is the toughest guy in the world (next to Daddy, of course), so it's pretty funny and buys us a second of calm. But she's responding great to the medicine. The swelling is nearly gone in her joints and she just seems more active and happy. I love having Lucy back! I am so grateful to good doctors and amazing medicine that are allowing Lucy to get through this with almost no side effects. I think of what it would be like if we lived in a country without these treatments and realize how blessed we are! It has meant a lot of trips to the doctor: eye visits, physical therapy, rhuematology appointments...but it's worth the trips for a healthy happy Lucy Goosey.