five year checkups and homemade paper dolls.

“But now, O Lord, You are the Father, we are the clay, and You are the potter; and all of us are the work of Your hand.”

Isaiah 64:8

Four years ago today, I opened my laptop and launched a blog called mywalkwitheden.com. The first post ever on this blog was all about taking Eden to her one year checkup and the surrounding things God had taught me therein {first ever blog post here.} Ironically, yesterday we went to her five year checkup. The doctor noted that she is extremely articulate, more brilliant than those development charts for her age suggest, and that she is destined to be tall and skinny. Basically, paying for a professional to tell us what we already know about our Eden.

While the first post talks about homemade play dough and her giant head, these days Eden and I have been maxing out our time as ladies of the home. When I posted that first blog, it was me and Eden, all day long. Just the girls. Now we have a house full of kiddos. Yet, when she sat on the exam table yesterday, her request for comfort was not a toy or stuffed animal. She wanted August to sit next to her, saying that he would "make her feel better". Eden's life has changed dramatically in the past four years. But she and her brothers are absolutely the best of friends. And I could not be more thankful. Although she has been praying heavily for a baby sister lately :)

So, what have we been doing during the boys' naptime this week?

Three words: PAPER DOLL THEATER

Eden got a doll as a birthday gift, removed the doll from the box, and said "Hey, we can turn this box into a puppet theater!" This is exactly what we did. We cut out the back, stapled a pink bandana to the top, cut it down the center to make "curtains", then made paper dolls out of pictures of little girls from a Pottery Barn Kids magazine we got in the mail. My original intent in cutting out the pictures revolved around practicing with scissors, but we glued popscicle sticks on the back and there you go: paper dolls. 

And I have no idea what happened to the original doll that came in this box. Talk about playing with the box more than the toy!

{Also of note: When I pulled out my camera to take the few pictures above, Eden told me that "cameras and cell phones are not allowed in Paper Doll Puppet Theater". Seriously.}

The stories we have created about these dolls have been fantastic, and it has been a great way to talk about praying for God's will, being a good friend to others, and acting out Bible stories all with these homemade paper dolls. 

So, yes. We are still making random homemade things around here 4 years later. And yes, I am still keeping record of every time the kids sneeze via this blog. Thank you for keeping up with our family for the past four years on this little online space. Praying God continues to inspire my heart to share His blessings with you!

(Missed today's daily photo? Click here.)