Elijah

This picture is of our reception in Provo.  The child that we are holding is probably one of our favorite kids. His name is Elijah.
We are lucky to have amazing friends who also happen to be our landlords, who also happen to live upstairs from us.  We live in a basement apartment below them  that they  re - finished right before we got married.  When we found out that it would be available when we did get married, we jumped on the opportunity to rent from them.  They are old friends of John's and are great people. So it was a no brainer really!
Elijah is the oldest of Jarom and Kaylee's and he just turned three in October.  His favorite past time has to be wandering downstairs to visit us. Since our apartment is the basement of their house, Elijah often comes down and knocks on the door wanting to come in.  Sometimes with Mom's knowing, sometimes without.  Kaylee had to install sliding bolt locks on our bedroom and living room doors to keep Elijah out, he loves us that much!  One morning at around 5:30, I hear his little knocking on the outside of our bedroom door.  When we didn't respond, he kept knocking , slowly getting louder and louder.  And when that didn't work, he let out a very forlorn " Jessica!" When we didn't respond still, he wandered upstairs to cause chaos in his own house.
We walk Elijah to church every Sunday weather permitting and then if it's yucky out, then he usually finds us to sit with us.  Today, we were tracing his hands when he looks at me, sits down on the paper and says "my bum! Trace my bum!" On another Sunday, we were drawing and he wanted me to draw Dora.  Now, I am not what one would call an artist by any stretch of the imagination. So I start drawing a smiley face, add some big hair and let him see it.  Elijah gives it one look and yells " AH! Scary Dora!" John and I had to do everything in our power to not laugh out loud. Although we were laughing as quietly as we could manage. Elijah never fails to make us smile.
Elijah has been great at inadvertently helping John be more accepting of things that children do that he is still learning to accept.  Like moving his alphabetized movies into a not so alphabetized mess.  Or moving his things to other places.  John is definitely learning some patience in that area! 

We love Elijah and love his visits! We are also super glad to live below the kid so that he can come visit whenever he wants! :)