December 5 – “Discoveries”

Cailyn made some discoveries last night and today.  She ended up spending the night with us because her Mom and Dad went to see The Battle of the Badges.  Galveston's fire department and police/sheriff's department squared off in a series of boxing matches for charity.  Sounded like they made a ton of money for the Boys and Girls Clubs.  Something like $27,000.    We brought Cailyn home with us after Jachin birthday party, and when we drove up she saw our outdoor Christmas decorations for the first time.  The lights were something to ooh and aah about, I guess, but that's not what caught her eye.  When I got her unbuckled and out of the car she went right up to our little lit up outdoor manger scene.  I was wondering what she would do.  It's a Precious Moments thing, so the Joseph and Mary figures are both children with those big old eyes.  She glanced at them briefly.  But she was all about the little Jesus baby in the manger.  She tried to pick him up, but couldn't get very far because it was connected to the light cord.  The whole time she kept repeating, "Baby.  Baby."  That's right, Cailyn.  That was one special little baby.   She went with us to church today and made her second discovery.  A baby doll in the nursery area.  Now she has a baby doll of her own – several in fact.  And that's just here at our house.  But there was something special about this one.  It had its very own sippy cup and its own tiny baby and the grandest thing of all … it had a baby bottle full of milk that disappeared when she "fed" it to the doll.  Amazing.  How do they do that anyway?  And then it refills when you turn it rightside up.    She was absolutely fascinated.  And she also noticed that the baby's eyes closed and opened up depending on its position.  She stared at that silly thing's face like she expected it to start talking to her any minute.  Glad it didn't.  That would have creeped me out.  Smells like a Christmas present to me.   She made one more discovery this afternoon.  Her Mom and dad were over and her Mom asked her if she had seen the train under the tree.  Apparently not, because when I turned it on she was transfixed.  She was kind of scared of it at first.  The thing is really loud.  But she finally came over and sat in my lap and turned it on and off a few times.  She would lean over and watch it disappear in one direction, then whip her head around to see if it would really show up on the other side of the circle.  And when it showed up she laughed that Cailyn laugh from her gut.  I love seeing the joy of discovery in a little child.   Psalms 66:1-2 says, "Shout with joy to God, all the earth!  Sing the glory of his name; make his praise glorious!"   Father, bring the joy of a child to all of our family, no matter how old we are … or feel.  Amen.