Today, three year old MacKenzie and I had a neat conversation about "holy" and God. We have never talked about God with her. She saw our garden sculpture of a monk stored away for the winter in our carriage house. She asked what it was. I told her "It's a monk". She asked what a monk is. I said the monk is a holy man. She asked what holy is. I had a hard time figuring out where to start. My first thought was to ask a question back. My question was "So you know God, right?" and her answer was "Yes. Yes I do." Reminder...we've NEVER addressed this thought before. I proceeded to say that a holy person is someone who has a relationship with god and helps others with their relationship with God. I always ask her if the things I relate make sense, and when I did, she answered with a matter-of-fact "yes".

My sense of God is very different than most people's definition, I believe. I love that MacKenzie is connected with the thought and energy of Divinity, without the interruption of the dogma of others. There will be that, of course, as we live in a very diverse world with many paths to the Divine. Until then, I will watch and learn from my beautiful daughter as she wonders at the gifts of living with Divinity all around her.

Ah Ho, Namaste and Blessed Be.

Princess Party

Yesterday, we took MacKenzie to our friend Jess' little girl's first birthday party. We had a lovely time! MacKenzie made a new friend named Allie. They had fun playing. MacKenzie got to sit with a lot of fun people. She talks to everyone she meets, and she gives her hugs freely!

We got to see just how small the world is yet again at the birthday party! One of the people that MacKenzie was talking to and hugging turned out to be our neighbors from when I was a little girl! Ron & Patty Lambert were some of my favorite people when I was little. I used to go to their house after school a lot. Patty taught me how to count in German! MacKenzie took to her just as easily as I did. It makes me wonder just how in tune to shared memories children might be!

MacKenzie had fun playing "Pin the Tiara on the Princess"! She got a goodie bag of prizes for playing. Everyone was a winner! In her goodie bag was her very own lemon flavored lip balm...she was SO excited to have her own "lipstick"!

We had Ava's 3rd birthday party last weekend, Baby EEEE-vaa's (as MacKenzie calls her) party yesterday, and Ryott's 2nd birthday party at the end of March! 'Tis the season to party!

Party on, Princess MacKenzie!

Drawing Faces

Today, MacKenzie had another big "first"! She was drawing on her new (new to her, anyway...we bought it at a thrift shop!) "My Little Pony" magnetic drawing board/book. She drew eyes, a nose and a mouth! She said what she was drawing with each step. She drew the pony's face!

She amazes me every day. I can't believe how much she has grown...her personality, as well as her body!

We bought her some 4T clothes today, and they fit! Some were a little too big, but not by much! And she is only 2 years and 3 1/2 months old!

She had a big-girl lunch date with her Pop, David, and his fiance Peggy. We all went to a funeral of a family friend this morning. Afterwards, we stopped (by coincidence) at the same restaurant for a bite to eat. MacKenzie sat with Pop at his table and ate her lunch without her Momma and Daddy! I was proud of her, and of Pop too! What a fun thing to watch...and I got to eat my lunch without interruptions!

Julia would have loved to see MacKenzie at this stage. She only got to see her once when she was a little baby.

I will go to sleep tonight, loving life just a little more, and knowing that Julia made all of our lives richer. Her legacy is strong: facing life's difficulties with grace and loving life completely...her father described it as "pedaling all the way downhill"...I hope that I can pass that affirmation of "living out loud" on to MacKenzie. Thank you, Julia.