Here’s Emma’s Spring/Easter project.

We bought it from TARGET at the dollar section.  I love that they have stuff like this for kids, encouraging them to be productive and earth conscious.

And knowing Emma, she has a green thumb which she’s genetically inherited from all her grandparents.  Did you know that, anak?  Your lola Ruth and lola Nene both plant flowers and gardens.  Your lolo Bio and lolo Perl both plant vegetables.

Let’s see how this project pans out…I hope it does though so she’ll be encouraged to plant more.

So to recap, at 9 months, Zi learned how to start walking independently. She took 1 step, then 2, then 3, then 4, then stopped at 5.  She was so happy and excited with herself for achieving such a feat, that I believe she surprised herself.  So now, she takes a couple of steps at a time, then falls on her bum. So just like her Ate Emma, she started walking at 9 months! Bravo, little one.

At this month, she’s also very clingy and hardly allows strangers to carry her anymore.  If they do, she has to be in a very good mood, full and dry, and not at all sleepy.  If those factors are ever present, she’s only partial to family, esp. Perze and myself. Sometimes, if she’s super cranky, she won’t even entertain her beloved Tatay or Emma.

Added to the words Mamam, Dada, and Ate, she sometimes says De-de at the appropriate times when she’s about to nurse.  She also knows how to comprehend the word ‘NO.’  When faced with a stern ‘no’ she will either A) cry, or B) try to debate it out by saying ‘eh’ after every turn I say ‘no.’

So far, she weighs 15.5 lbs. and a little on the skinny side.  She is eating more solids so she’s not as fond with drinking milk. 

One thing that has strongly manifested, although present since she was about 5-6 months is her love for music.  Every time she hears a song she likes, she’ll smile, look at you, and sway side to side.  We have this song we sing and, without fail, upon hearing “you have a fat face, la la la la la la…etc,” she’ll go absolutely happily bananas.  She also sings very loudly every time she’s in choir practice, or when she hears her older sister singing.  It entertains everyone surrounding her every time.  "

Prayer makes the heart feel better.

After the prayer time, she asked me if I can show her pictures of her Lola Nene and Lolo Perl in the Philippines.  I joyfully complied, thankful that despite the enormous distance and 3 year absence, she still remembers them with affection.  She has such a big heart.

There’s so much symbolism in that, isn’t there?  There are people in the kingdom who sees something to become a part of something bigger.  And it can come in the form of a simple ministry, or seeing some grand potential in someone who gets left in the wayside without an obvious gift.  There are people who entertain visions, no matter how difficult the journey and discouraging the criticisms. 

I hope she becomes a builder.  I hope she has a keen eye to spot potential.  I hope she has the wisdom to realize that she herself is a work in progress and all those little things she puts into herself are also for the kingdom, esp. her talents, her knowledge, intellect, wisdom, and yes- her love and generosity. 

I was thinking about it today while on my sporadic visits to the craft store.  I can spend so much time there, not because I really want to, but because it takes a while to scan through sooooooooooo many pieces and actually theoretically put them together in my head to make one composite creation, stamped with character in my name, not just for the sake of making something, but something that has myself written all over it. A craft store is amazing, really, and you just sort of have to stop sometimes and look around, see the people who have a similar imprint of the Father, who love to create.  Sometimes, I have to smirk and feel some kindred relationship to those carrying baskets of little unrelated things to form some wonderful relationship. 

While looking around, I saw the strong possibility of future dates with my budding daughter, who also will one day walk those aisles with me, sharing the same imprint of the Father, and love to create.

Some seasons are bad, some are extremely challenging, but I have to be honest, I cannot remember the last time I could really complain about life. I mean, sure, teenage years, early teenage years, late teenage years, early adult life…but once you mature and see there’s too much beauty around you, you really can’t complain.  Once you realize what’s most important in life, you really can’t complain.

What I learned when I was in my college days was right.  Everything is given by grace.  We do not deserve them so why is it that sometimes we feel we have the right to demand them? 

And by grace, I’ve seen a garden spring up in my life, surrounding me with too much to appreciate, and it is my garden.  My family, my friends, church, needs met, education, love of learning, love of serving, love of giving, my children, my health, my in laws, my hobbies, my future…etc.

Our family is entering a new milestone in our lives and Perze and I, last night, were briefly discussing how much God has been the main benefactor.  We are amazed with how much something came from almost nothing.  Our prayers have been heard all those months, and His grace is abundant.  We said ‘yes Lord’ and He answered back. 

All you can be is be faithful with the things God gives you.  Without thinking you’re going to get anything back, but because you love to serve and know Him through his work. And somewhere in the process, you see He’s working in the desires of your heart.

Perze and I weren’t able to prepare months and months ahead, due to little time we had with all the busyness of the seasons and church responsibilities, esp. in the weekends. But surely enough, the timing was PERFECT and God turned on the switch and all the lights turned green in just a couple of weeks.

Thank you Lord for answering our humble prayers.

Perze and I were in the living room when she was standing up.  Being in front of us, we had a good view of her taking a brave step forward and successfully remaining her balance.  Knowing she had accomplished a new trick, she turned back to us and gave a very proud smile, then clapped her hands.  Hhahahah. 

So proud of you, Zi. 
Soon you’ll be walking everywhere.