My Mandy Doll

With Grandma Myrna at the zoo a few weeks ago

Promising career as a librarian... oh I think so!

Tummy time!!

Laughing at her mobile

Enough with the pictures, mom!

snugglin' with daddy after her bath

her little ducky bathrobe

sleepy little ducky!

Well, It has been a busy week around our house!! Dave's been working hard, but has been able to get off work a little earlier (around 4:30 or 5p), so Sophia and I have definitely enjoyed spending some extra time with him!! He even got to go golfing on Saturday!!

On Friday, Sophie and I rode up to Jr. High camp with mom at IRBC. Each year she teaches a couple lessons to the 9th grade girls on purity and self esteem. We went along for the ride, and I was able to give her hand with some illustrations, passing things out, etc. While I was busy doing that, Sophie got to spend some time with her Aunt Heather and her cousin Maggie. She, of course, had a wonderful time! Mom's first lesson was on self esteem, and although I've already heard speakers talk about it and know all of the verses regarding self esteem, it was just a great reminder listening to mom talk about how we are all beautiful... created just the way God wanted us. Mom was able to use my "Mandy doll" as an illustration for this lesson. About a year ago, I wrote on note on facebook about Mandy.

Here it is:

"I'm reading this incredible book called "Love Beyond Reason." I've read this book several times, but each time I read it I'm reminded of God's incredible love for me... his little ragdoll. The book talks about a little girl with this amazing love for her doll. Her doll is ragged. Her hair has been ripped out. Her face is scarred with permanent marker. This doll is missing an arm and the stuffing from her legs has been torn out. To anyone else, this doll is junk. She is horrid, dull, and plain. She is worn. This doll does not talk, drink a bottle, or wet her pants like some of the more beautiful and special dolls. I had a doll like this when I was a little girl. Her name was Mandy and to me she was beautiful...precious. Mandy went everywhere with me. I would do anything to protect Mandy from the harms of this world (i.e. brothers). I remember my brothers and my friends telling me what an ugly, horrible doll she was. I had brand new dolls too, but all I wanted was my Mandy. No one understood how I could love such a ragged doll. I remember my parents telling me that Mandy was damaged and it was time to throw her out. But I couldn't. I loved Mandy with everything I had. She was beautiful and perfect. She was mine.The book reminds me that I am God's little ragdoll. He loves me with this incredible, amazing love that has no reason to it whatsoever. I am damaged, I am worn, and I don't have any amazing talents like some of his other dolls. But regardless of what I have been through, what I look like, what I feel that I'm lacking... my Abba Father thinks I am absolutely amazing! He loves me more than I could ever imagine or deserve. He thinks I am beautiful and precious. He has done everything for me and he continues to protect me from the harms of this world, just like I did for my Mandy. It's sometimes very difficult to remember that I am God's perfect creation and that he made me just how he desired. My God thinks I am beautiful and precious. God has allowed me to face some unbelievable heartache and struggles in my life. While I may sometimes focus on how those experiences have damaged me or made me feel less beautiful or precious, God's love for me is absolutely unconditional. It has absolutely no requirements and no limits. I am his ragdoll. I may not meet mine or the world's standards in beauty, successes, intelligence, finances, or talents but I am His, I will ALWAYS be His and that's all that matters."

When I wrote that note, I had not seen my Mandy doll since I was a little girl. She was buried in a box somewhere in our garage. When my mom asked if she could use her for the illustration at camp, I was excited to show her off again. Dave and I went on a mission to find her in the garage. He was kindof excited to see her too, after I had raved about her so much!! We finally got to the box of my dolls and there she was!! My Mandy!!! I could not have been more excited. Dave, on the other hand, was a bit disturbed. I believe his words were... "Yikes! That doll is creepy!!" :)

Oh well... Just a good reminder to me about God's love. I think I may keep her out a while--- just to make me smile... and creep Dave out!

Sophia's been doing great this week!! She will be 12 weeks old on Saturday! Time is going so fast with her! It seems like she is always learning something new! She's been a little bit stubborn about rolling over this week, but every once in a while, she will... if I'm very persistent! Yesterday she and I spent some time with Grandma Myrna, Aunt Amy, and her big kid cousins Linden, Haddy, and Levi at McDonalds and then shopping! It was so much fun to get out of the house and see everyone! She's really started smiling a lot now. Dave is absolutely eating it up! She is definitely a daddy's girl already!

This weekend we are headed to Mount Ayr for "Donut Day" with the family! We make TONS of donuts and everyone eats them till they're sick! It's so much fun!