Libby's First Hair Cut... at 4!

So, when a little girl takes the entire first 4 years of her life to grow her hair long "like her friends" its kinda scary taking her to get it cut off... but there comes a time when mommy must make a choice between stringy length and daring bob. Mommy finally found the nerve to follow through and we (Libby and me... and her daddy too!) are so PLEASED. She looks so sweet and grown up with her new look.

Here's the photo action from the day. It started with her friend Maliah coming to play for a few hours and ended with a bath and hair style-out to impress her daddy (who was late coming home due to jury duty - boo!).

PS.... God has been putting a beautiful heart of compassion in Libby as of late. When Gracie had her one year check up the other day, 4 shots in her legs were required. Libby, before I could even stop her, opened the doctor's office door and as she walked out she said, "I can't listen to her cry, mommy." Then, when she could hear Gracie crying she came running back in to check on her. Libby was really concerned for her little sister.

Today, when Libby got a glimpse of the news she saw an image of war in another country. She came to me saying, "Mom, I'm sad those people are getting hurt." And so we prayed together for them. I love seeing this "compassion fruit" grow in her.

Play Time and Dollhouse Fun

Like Father, Like Daughter

Libby has shown an interest in music from day one. But lately it has been really fun watching her strum her daddy's first guitar that sits on our fire place while she makes up some very interesting lyrics. Some of her lyrics are actually starting to make sense! Of course, Daddy is always listening and wondering when the day will come that he can actually teach her to play and write. As he listened to her strum her heart out and sing (very seriously, I might add) a plan began to form in daddy-song-writer's mind. And then he came home with a Baby Taylor just for Libby. One day, these photos are going to mean the world to Libby. She still has no idea how special and how gifted her daddy is. And for now, we probably have no idea what God has stored up in her... but one day - she's going to know how to play guitar and she's going to have a love and respect for her daddy's gift that will be priceless.

Billy showed up with the guitar just after Libby woke up from her nap, so you'll have to excuse the pull-ups..sigh... The look on Libby's face (above) is her "I'm really happy, but don't want you to know it" face.

jam session at the Foote house

priceless.

The Rodeo that Never Happened

We had everything planned just perfectly for my birthday morning. Billy was going to take Libby to the rodeo so I could have a quiet morning getting ready for my day while Gracie took her morning nap. Libby was looking so adorable in her cowgirl hat and cowgirl shirt. Before they jetted out for their special daddy/daughter morning I took a few special pictures...

I was just getting settled into the quiet and sipping on some juice when Billy's number showed up on my cell. When I answered I could hear Libby SCREAMING and every time Billy tried to tell me what was going on she would scream louder and I was left in a panic not knowing what was going on. Turns out that after paying the $10 parking fee, Billy and Libby went up to buy the rodeo tickets when somehow Libby walked right into the corner of a counter and busted a deep cut into her cheek bone area, just under her right eye. It was bleeding pretty good and Billy needed to know what to do. I couldn't see the cut through the phone and started calling our pediatrician to figure out where they should go.

About 45 minutes later, I walked into the minor emergency care where Libby was sitting on her daddy's lap still crying. She ran to me and crawled in my lap and from there I got to be the lucky parent who watched her get strapped into some device that held her down while the doc put two stitches in her boo boo. She screamed so loud you would have thought they were skinning her alive. She was TERRIFIED!

But just a couple of hours later she was quite proud of her battle wound... see...

And so... the rodeo never happened for the wounded Chinese cowgirl.

Gracie Turns One and Grammy & Papa Boots Visit

We came into the new year expecting a bit of quiet. We hoped to slow down...chill a little after the hubbub of the holidays.... yeah, that didn't happen. Many unexpected adventures were about to make their appearance in our lives.

First, Gracie's re-adoption took place in early Jan. There is a previous post regarding this with pictures. But it was a special day because Gracie became 100% officially a Foote and her name was changed from her Ethiopian name: Tsegaynesh to Aria-Lu Grace Foote ("Gracie").

Second, the earthquake in Haiti. On January 12 the lives of millions of Haitians were tragically interrupted. Little did we know that God would make the tragedy of that earthquake very personal to us. I cannot share most of the details at this time, but we have been on the faith journey of a life time regarding one specific orphan in Haiti. When we can, we will tell you the whole story. For now, just know that a 6 year old orphan girl (and thousands of others) in Haiti needs your prayers tonight. Also, see my previous post on some action you can take to support pre-quake orphans in need of families.

Our first event in the new year was a revival in Tucumcari, NM. It was truly the middle of nowhere...but there in the middle of nowhere was God. We met some of the most amazing people during that revival. I truly expect God to transform Tucumcari by the work He is doing in just the handful of lives by which we were personally impacted. Below is a picture of Billy and I on the famous Route 66. There were murals like this one all over the town.

Though it is really hard to believe - Gracie turned one this month - Jan. 22, 2010. We decided to make her birthday party part of our weekly house church meeting on the week of Billy's parents' visit. We gathered our family, church body and a few close friends and celebrated Gracie's miraculous life and gave praise to God for the amazing work He has done in her. Our first picture of Gracie was of her in pajamas with Eric Carle's "Hungry Caterpillar" on the front. So, in honor of that special theme written on her life we made her first birthday party into "a beautiful butterfly" theme - for indeed, she has blossomed into a very healthy butterfly!

BC and Winky were so sweet to drive down and join us for the special occasion. Below are pictures of their visit and Gracie's first birthday party:

We stopped in Wimberly at a dude ranch that Winky used to visit on vacation with her family as a young girl.

Then we had lunch at a fabulous place called "The Leaning Pear"

Libby LOVES to show our picture books to anyone who will give the time. Grammy was given the personal "photo tour".

The gift table at Gracie's party.

Fifi and Sha (what Libby calls them!) - A precious couple in our house church came early to help prepare the rice (Iranian style - YUM!)

Me and the birthday girl.

Love this picture of Gracie and Winky. Gracie is holding up her dress with the most delicate hands and lifted pinkie finger. What an angel!

Who can resist that smile?.... NO ONE!

Those sweet delicate hands again.

I adore this picture! Libby, of course, insisted on wearing her "power girl" shirt to the party. I have to wash it almost every day.... This picture says a whole lot about the complete opposites these two are. Love 'em both sooooo much!

Winky with the prettiest Chicken you ever saw... haha! Chicken = Katie... again, a nickname given by Libby.

Billy and Libby with Grammy, Gracie and Papa Boots

The sweet, proud grandparents of the birthday girl.

Maliah and Libby

The XTI dorm girls helped get the party started.

Gracie playing peek-a-boo from under a table.

Worship at house church.

Gracie and her cake!

Family photo.

Having fun at Mi Tierra's!

Dresses we found at the market. The girls will be so cute in these on the beach this May!

Grammy and Papa Boots bought Libby her first real cowgirl hat. She is the cutest Chinese cowgirl I've ever seen.

We helped Gracie open her gifts the day after the party. Here you can see the card and gift card sent to Gracie from Aunt Wendy, Uncle Robbie and Brooke.

One of many precious outfits Gracie received. This one is from BC and Winky.

The Graham family went in together to purchase Gracie's first "everywhere chair". Her name is monogramed on it too.

A special gift from Grammy. Each of Grammy's granddaughters has this special toy.

And then there was my birthday... the big 35... and my father-in-law sweetly reminded me on this card that I'm halfway to 70!

My gift from BC and Winky... CLINIQUE! Yeah!!!!

Also - don't have a picture of it, but my parents helped me purchase a Shark Steam Mop... love it!

The eating of birthday cake continued for a couple of days... and so did the wearing of the cowgirl hat. In fact - the later still continues.