Up to this point, she was just catching on how to let down and get some results, so she had managed to pee maybe four times. She had favorite hiding places where she hid out to do the other!
She's very good at figuring things out. She learned to walk pretty much on her own. She would stand up on her own in the middle of no-where and we wondered as her balance got better, if she would all of the sudden take steps and walk. That's pretty much what happened.
So now, at the end of a very busy week, with minimal attention from Mom, potty training being the farthest thing from my mind right now, she tells me she has to go and she goes. She's so careful she runs for it even when it's only air! :) No accidents yet. We shopped for "big girl panties" yesterday. She picked "Ariel" ones. She's so excited about the whole thing!
I think what helped a lot, without me realizing it, was a few weeks ago Chloe had checked a book out of the library that the girls got a big kick out of. It is a Sesame Street board book called "It's Potty Time". It talks about who will you tell when you have to go, washing your hands, etc. The punchline is on the last page there is a toilet with a little tab you pull down and the "yellow" disappears. The story ends with "Bye - bye, pee pee!"
She sometimes says, "It's potty time." when she needs to go. Yesterday we risked a trip to town, and when I was at the dairy on the way home, in the milkhouse filling gallons, Maris runs in and tells me Abi has to go. She even managed to go in the outdoors! I have some older ones who still don't like to have to do that. In fact the thought of it seems to scare it back up! Last night I left her in panties for the night and she did fine. I thought she would, because her diaper is usually dry in the morning.
Last Tuesday evening my sister Paula and her husband Shane and 5 children (ages 16 down to 8) arrived in from Montana. They came with a big Uhaul. The Lord had provided a home to rent before they ever got here, which was a miracle. Four bedroom houses are just not often available, in the country and in a 5-6 mile radius from all the family, no less! We've never before even lived in the same state, since marriage! Paula arrived sick with a bad cold, obviously run down from hard work, little sleep, and driving in hazardous conditions across country. They had snow the whole way, once even an interstate highway being shut down and they had to wait it out in a hotel! (God does know also when we need to quit pushing and stop and sleep!) All told, somehow the trip ended up costing less than they expected!
When they got in Tuesday evening, Monica and Mom led them right to their house so they could unload and plug in the freezer. Then everyone came here for supper and a noisy family evening together. I wish I had some picture but as usual at times like these, I'm busy enjoying and the camera is forgotten!
The next day the guys got the Uhaul unloaded, we showed Paula the place Harv's are building. (Soon I'll post some pics of that...) and we spent a lot of time catching up.
Thursday morning LaCaysha watched the children except Abi while Paula and I did a shopping run. Late afternoon our friend Charity (Kenyan) came from Columbus with her two children, Victor (13) and Mukami (11), and friends Justus (18) and Casey (10). Charity had been wanting to come over spring break and this is when it worked out. We could have said it would be too many, too much, but she's been wanting to come and had some incredible stuff that God is working in her that she was making me wait to hear, until she could come and visit in person! (I'm gonna see if she'll mind if I share a bit of it on here, it's such a faith builder and an encouragement to really die to ourselves! Ouchy but great! Charity, call me and give me a yea or nay!) Anyways, it seemed like the timing was right, as long as I don't do the freak-out about where is everyone going to sleep, what to cook etc.
Right away when Charity called, she offered to cook African food for all of us Thursday eve. (See!) We love it, especially her chipati's which we literally hadn't had in years! Abe was drooling. She got here a bit late because of a job interview and we went right to work, chopping etc. Justus loves to cook and is planning to go to a cooking school this summer, so he was the biggest help. Harv's and Mom came for the supper too and it was all a great hit! Of course Monica made a trifle that is nothing to trifle with. Laced with our home/heart food, huckleberries. (I feel like I almost type "huckleberries" with reverence.)
Through all this Paula was trying to get a bit rested up, Abi had her ears bothering her again and a fever. We kept begging Shane's to just rest a few days and move in at their leisure. So Friday morning Mom and Monica came over so us ladies could visit. Yum! Meanwhile the kids all were outside, going for it, even on the rainy days. The Montana kids and the Columbus kids broke the ice and had a blast!
At least for two nights there were 18 souls asleep under our roof! The girls were all in the loft, the boys on the living room floor and couch, Shane's had Damaris' room, Charity had Dassie and Chloe's, and we were in ours. We still had a couch available in the family room and a top bunk empty in Dassie's.
All the while building this house, I have felt like this house was more house than we needed. It's accommodating and spacious feeling and lovelier than I needed, by far. I have this desire that, as it is God's, that He would use it for way more than just us. We just have the pleasure of being here full time! This last week, in some way felt like a test run, with God at the helm. The meals just decided themselves so simply, one day at a time. And hey, my niece and nephews are an incredible work force! These floors have never stayed so swept before. There were willing dishwashers, and the boys response to burning trash was "oh, cool!", coming from living where they couldn't burn trash.
Charity left Saturday afternoon. Saturday evening all the family was again here for a big bonfire and hot dog roast, and back again for Sunday dinner of ham, potatoes and gravy, sweet potatoes, salad, buns and desert. Everyone helped with the food.
Monday Shane's were going to knuckle down and unpack, but so much time was lost waiting on phone calls and faxes to get electric in their name etc., that we talked them into staying one more night. Monica had them over to their place for supper. They came back late enough that all our girls but Damaris were asleep and tucked into their own beds, to their dismay come morning! Damaris and Savanna have become almost joined at the hip! She kept peering out the window, watching and waiting!
Yesterday they left and headed to their house and we went to town in the afternoon. We are winding back down to our own family size again. We had the fun of running over in the evening with some groceries and chocolate and wine as a little "welcome". It is actually starting to sink in for me that they are going to live about 6 miles away instead of over 2,000! I have to say I felt a little emotional last evening!
To sum it all up, for Abi it's bye-bye diapers and hello panties, and for me it is a continuation of bye-bye to being "hostess", striving to be organized, etc., hello to depending on God and following His leading. If you do what He tells you, He'll tell you what to do!
P.S. If God leads you to Ohio for whatever reason, and you need a rest, or a place to lay your heads en route, etc. please know you are welcome!
