Well, we're STILL potty-training. My latest bribe: going to Disneyland to meet Cinderella.
Think it'll work??? It seems to be so far. . . but you never know with this little Rellie. . .

Ava is becoming quite the expressive little girl, as well as a true "Brawley-Oregonian".
It has rained about 47 out of the last 50 days in Portland, and yesterday was no different. On the way to town, Ava looked out the window, saw the rain, and said, "It sure is a GREAT day, Mom!" (I must admit, my heart still resides in sunshine).
Then on the way home, she saw a Burger King: "Look, Mom, Taco Bell!" (now THAT we all agree on).

Jonah just woke up from his nap: Mom, you know what helped me to fall asleep? I lay real still and close my eyes like this.
Elisabeth: That's good, Joe--how'd you think of that?
Jonah: Well, I was just laying there and that came to my think.

.

While this post is a bit late for Christmas, my sister April wrote this about some of her experiences in India this past year, and was published to an online magazine called The Other Journal this past December. (Caution: read with kleenex nearby)

I guess we should get out more...
Ava, looking at a picture on the front of her pull-up: Look, Momma. This girl has chocolate all over her face, her arms, her legs.
Elisabeth: Um, that's not chocolate, Avie. She's a black person.
Ava: A black person?

Jonah has been thinking a lot about babies. The other night, he prayed very sincerely for Shadow (Nana's dog) to have a puppy. Then there has been about 6 babies born to friends and people in our church over the past couple of weeks. One of the babies was named Jackson, and he has a friend named Jackson in his class. Then yesterday on the way to school he says to me:
Mom, when I get married and then when the baby comes out (glad he got the order right), I'm going to name it "Jackson Two-plus-two-equals-four."

Jonah (setting up Monopoly): Okay, Mom. Do you want to be the car, the train, or the cup?
Elisabeth: The train.
Jonah: .............
Elisabeth: The car.
Jonah: OKAY!

Ava has a cold today.
When she spoke to Auntie Heather on the phone this morning, she found out that Uncle "Yum Yum" (William) is sick, too. To this she responded with a very heartfelt, "I sorry!"
So sweet.

Hey everyone!
Just wanted to give a "house" update...
We closed escrow about three weeks ago (yay!), but take possession of the house on January 15 (14 days away!). At that time we are going to make some repairs, paint, etc. We are unsure of the actual move-in date just cuz we don't know how long these things will take us...

ALSO--Due to the rising problem of ID theft, we prefer to hold onto our cash and our bank accounts, so please send any mail to:
PO Box 16154
Portland, OR
97292
Thanks for all the emails and congrats we have received--(we feel so loved!) we are so thankful that so many people care about us.
Stay tuned for move-in/project pics soon...