This video needs a little commentary...

The reason I even pulled out the "video mode" for this one, was because I wanted everyone to hear Jillian say "totally doomed". I am not sure why I said those words exactly (I first said it and Jillian then repeated me), but we have three swaddling blankets, one of which had been left at the Irvine's, and the other two had gotten unexpectantly dirty (on the same day), had been hand washed and were hanging to dry. Well the blankets hadn't dried and it was very close to Faith's bedtime, so Brad made an emergency run to the laundry room and after quite a while after being in the dryer they still hadn't dried! So my response was "we're totally doomed". :) I am not sure what cracks me up more: Jillian mimicking me, or that I said it in the first place!!!

Jillian says "totally doomed" at the beginning of this video and then she started running around the table! Jillian and I often do that in the morning as a way to "exercise"/ dance. We will put on some fun kids music, or praise and worship music and run around the table and I will sweep Jillian into my arms and it is a lot of fun! Some of you may be wondering why we would run around a small table like that...but this is England! The weather has been absolutely miserable, the sun has gone down at 4 PM and hasn't been up until after 9 AM. It rains and rains, and then it rains again, and did I mention it is cold! Winter is not an absolute joy here, especially when you have a newborn baby who hasa cold for 3 weeks! :) But God has been good! We have continued to enjoy the visit of neighbors and friends, and Jillian and I are most often are able to find something to occupy us (from playing with sticker books, finger-painting, baking muffins (Jillian likes helping smash the bananas!), or blowing bubbles INSIDE!).

***Also, I'd like to say that we have taught Jillian that "no" isn't a bad word. She is able to have her own opinion about things and we give her the opportunity to make choices. For instance, we ask Jillian, "would you like dessert?" and if she doesn't want dessert, she can say "no!" (LOL, that doesn't happen all that often, but believe it or not, it has happened). But really, when we are telling Jillian she needs to do something, we are careful to say, "Jillian, please come here", not "would you come here?" We are not asking her a question, but are giving her an instruction that she is to obey. ***