Gracie loves her baby

While in Hong Kong we ran into Connie, an old friend from our days with ELIC. It was such a blessing. She still lives in our city and was returning the same day as us so she offered to have her friend drive us to the airport - which was an answer to prayer since I had purchased a few too many taco shells and cookies for Gracie. I had no idea how I would manage my luggage, Gracie, her stroller, and the new bag of food I had collected. I just asked Dad for some favor and he put Connie right in our path. It was great getting to spend time with her, at home she is so busy and we live about an hour from each other (even though it is the same city). Amazingly we got to check in together at the flight counter and ride next to one another all the way home. In the airport she blessed us again by purchasing a doll for Gracie.

This baby doll is really special because she is Chinese. Connie and I agreed that in all our time in China we have never seen a Chinese baby doll (other than the porcelain type that should be kept well out of a child's reach). So Gracie got a new doll. I didn't think she would pay it any more attention than she does her other stuffed animals and toys, but I was wrong. She drags that baby all over the house. She has a bigger baby that Mimi bought her for Christmas that she adores and I didn't think she would allow another baby to share her space. She gives them equal attention, pretending to put one to bed while hugging the other. It is really cute to see her mimic the things we do with her. Yesterday she did something really cute. She woke up well rested and happy and commenced to playing independently while we got ready for class. I walked into her room once and she was reading a book, the next time I walked in she was reading to her baby. She had that little doll sitting in her lap and she was just a babblin as she turned the pages.