Martha and Mary

That is how I've come to think of our beloved girls. Liv can often be seen carrying the hefty load, while Holland has her feet up, a glass of water in hand, enjoying a good book. They couldn't be more different, though the Lord has given them such complimentary personalities. They get along so well. There are times, too, they are also around just to sharpen each other, I am sure!

I often have so much to write about our little Holland. But when I start to write about her, I find myself contradicting myself more often than not, so then give up! Her personality is so random and creative, that absolutes are just rare with her. For instance, I used to think she struggled with laziness. That is sometimes the case still, but recently I have discovered her perfectionist side and have since had to encourage her to try things, even though they don't turn out perfectly. So what I used to think was laziness, is sometimes fear of messing up. She loves to draw and paint. She adores music and can even match pitches. And she has a way with movement, too. (I'll share that video in another post! :o)

Here is our artist at work:


A couple of cute stories that highlight the girls' differences:

The last time we took the girls in to get their immunizations, I gave them the heads up the day before. I felt that it would be deceptive to load them in the car and "WHAM" here we are at "The Place of Pain," which is definitely how Liv views the doc. I knew I would get an earful from Liv, but I still chose to give her some time to ingest it all. I couldn't get her to stop whining! For nearly an hour, she begged, pleaded, and sniffled about my decision to visit The Place of Pain. When my ears could barely stand it one minute longer, an-until-now silent Holland piped up, "We HAVE to go LIV!!!" There. Liv quieted down, her shoulders shaking with sobs. Speaking dejectedly, she said, "I know, Holland." I immediately got a glimpse of these two years down the road....Liv having a "moment" while Holland rationally tries to reason with her. The doctor's visit was no better. Our big five-year-old thrashed and kicked on the exam table while I sat upon her. Holland, our small three-year-old, sat still on the table. Her upside down smile a little more upside down than usual. And a simple, "I don't like to get poked" sufficed.

Liv is a straight-laced rule-follower, while Holland views rules as inconvenient obstacles meant to be broken. I made the mistake of telling Liv that cigarette smoke, and even second-hand smoke is not healthy for us. Now, she can't walk by a person smoking without covering her entire face with her shirt, loudly hacking out any air that might make it's way into her mouth, and her making a huge scene by walking as far away from the person as possible. And about 3 years ago, I told her of the dangers of ingesting raw egg. To this day, while making cookies, Liv freaks out if anyone takes a taste of cookie dough. "There's ROTTEN (translation: RAW) egg in there! You're gonna get sick!" she shrieks. Holland calmly looks at her, forehead creased, "It STILL tastes good, Liv!"

These girls make my day. I love them so much. I delight in their differences, for they show the handiwork of God.

Here is a sampling of our Holland's creativity. She often chooses to draw abstract pictures and they usually turn out clean and crisp. She also has a propensity for staying in lines. I thought the two chrysanthemum photos were interesting. As I took a look at them later, I realized they shared the same color pattern.

Abstract Drawing:


Chrysanthemums: