Lucy and Violet Again

We still have a good bit of snow lingering on the ground.  The good and bad news is that it is raining and expected to continue to do so for the next several days.  It will definitely help melt the remaining snow but will also cause flash flooding in our mountains.  At least the weather is not going to drop below freezing.

Lucy does not like the snow at all.  She doesn't even like fluffy snow and she certainly does not like the heavy, icy stuff we got last week.  She no longer runs in the snow but walks gingerly and clearly wants to come back inside as soon as possible.  Our maintenance crew made a sweep with the plow while my husband had Lucy out.  He stopped and asked if we would like for him to plow a swath on our lot for Lucy.  He did and it was so much nicer for Lucy to have a relatively snow-free space for her business,

Lucy walks carefully in the icy snow

Her attention momentarily drawn to some passing deer.

I mentioned in a previous post that our son and his wife think all toys should be considered gender neutral.  Boys should freely play with dolls and girls with big trucks.  We buy new toys to keep here since they usually fly down to visit.  Before their visit in November, we bought Violet a baby doll and a little stroller, along with some stacking rings.  (I had to bless the stroller after the adjectives my husband used when assembling it.)  We knew she would love to push the stroller empty or full.  We figured she would treat the doll like any other stuffed animal.  To our surprise, she seemed to know just how to cuddle and rock the  doll.  She always placed it in the little stroller properly, never facing backward.

It became clear that dolly was not going to remain with us, but would go home with Violet. She held her on the plane and periodically held her up to look out the window.  When she first awakens she wants dolly.  Violet awakens slowly and needs quiet time to come to life.  She sits in Mommy's arms for a while and then she holds dolly while they prepare her Sippy cup of milk.

Not much for posing first thing in the morning

This little girl has brought so much happiness to so many of us.  Words cannot express our gratitude and admiration for the courageous woman who gave birth to this wonderful child.  And the adoption agency that placed her into our lives.  It is a miracle indeed.

Today's quote is again from philosopher Marcus Aurelius and it is particularly appropriate at this Christmas season:

"Very little is needed to make a happy life;
It is all within yourself,
In your way of thinking."

So let's not get caught up in things this joyous season.  As the old saying goes, "the most important things in life are not things,"

HAVE A MOST WONDERFUL WEEK

THE DAYS WILL GET BRIGHTER
HAPPY SOLSTICE!