Rachel Writes

Here are Sojourner and Whit on their way to the beach. Whit is quite the driver-- just look how happy and carefree Soj is as a passenger. They love to pretend to go places on the bike. This week we are getting a side car built on! Now it will be a family vehicle. :-) I'll post pictures. Here Sojo is feeding Whit breakfast. This is not always how they eat, but this particular morning, Whitaker would only eat while holding Sojo's hand and having her spoon feed him. She was happy to oblige. 

(1) Wear a hat Sadly, Whit has had to say goodbye to his choo-choo hat. It no longer fits. But instead of enjoying a fashionable grey fishing hat that Mama bought, he insists on wearing Sister's. (2) Take a bath (or two)   I do try to conserve water by keeping the same tubs available through the day.... Just so you know.   (3) Go ahead and jump in the play oven; it's that hot anyway. (4) Build a tower while making chocolate chip cookies.   (5) Take a nap. We love the sun and we love the cool breezes. Help us to remember that both are gifts from You.

It's lovely how the flowers grow! I'm reading Noli Me Tangere  a significant historical novel. In the novel, the main character has just returned to Manila from Europe and briefly comments on the how the botanical garden in Manila made him sad-- not as well tended (or as grand?) as European gardens, a place where it is so much harder to grow some flowers. It causes him to wonder why the Philippines seems to have less prosperity when they are so rich in resources. Good question to ponder. But for me, the flowers here are breath-takingly different. Here is a glimpse of the Baguio botanical gardens (and of course our kids). AND A PINK PONY!!! Whit in a hut on stilts

My favorite kid moment of late is Sojourner's desire to include Whitaker in almost every activity. "Whitaker want a turn?" she asks. "Whitaker want to eat this? play with this? do this?" Yes, they are practically the same size-- Whit at 5 months. Soj almost 2 years.