A Week Of Eli

Since we just had a large intake of toys and books and clothes at our house (aka Christmas), I figured it was a good time to go through our current stash and downsize. Besides the fact that the kids have just outgrown some of them, we have too much. I involved the kids, explaining that we have more than we need and lots of kids don't have any toys, so we were gathering some so they could have fun too. Eli really got into it (yay!!); he even offered to donate his electric guitar! He told me, "I have accoustic one, Mommy....'nother kid can play wiff dis one." (I didn't donate the electric since he really cherishes it, but I was tempted because his heart was so giving.) He also offered to give up some of his new toys. Ones that he really likes and has played with a lot. I love that kid!

Eli brought home several art projects from school this week. His classroom is always decorated with the students' art, so we often receive these masterpieces after the season is over. Today he brought home a painted candy cane, a few sticker-decorated trees, a saran-wrapped, paper-plate hard candy, and the cutest reindeer I've ever seen. It is a brown hand print, upside down, with a nose dotted on the thumb and hooves dotted on the other fingers. Eli sprinkled glitter and hole-punched white paper to look like snow. I love it. Eli asked if we could hang it in his room. (The back of his door is covered with art work from school and church.) I told him I'd rather hang it in the kitchen so everyone could see it because if it was in his room, people who come over might miss it. Eli told me, "No... Cuz on my door, God, and kids I love, ummmm Logan, Tyler, Noah & Cooper....they could see it."

One last Eli note. This week he gathered up five or six of his stuffed animals and brought them downstairs. He carried them into the guest room, piled them on the bed, and turned out the light as he closed the door. Then he whispered to me, "Don't wake dem up! De're sweeping!!" Apparently Eli's animals were sick. I asked him if they had a cold or a cough or a sick tummy. He told my their stomachs hurt because they ate a 'lotta lotta' cake.