Differences. Heaven. Teaching Moments.

We ended up at O'Charleys last night for dinner.  This was a treat, being that it's the end of the month and the spreadsheet is shot- AGAIN.  However, after a failed attempt at Salmon Patty Burgers on the grill by me and a frustrated husband working for an hour to get the gas line hooked up on the range only to be unsuccessful, and a toddler that had eaten his fair share of pretzel sticks, dinner had to be had. 

We sat down, ordered our food, noticed it was Free Pie Wednesday (THANK YOU JESUS FOR CARAMEL PIE!!) and we ate our dinner.  I don't know if it was out of starvation, or just ease of sitting down to eat a prepared meal that I didn't have to prepare or clean up, but it was divine. 

About halfway through our meal a man and lady came in to have dinner.  The man was in a motorized wheel chair.  It was the type that was leaned back, he had a joystick type thing to operate it.  His legs were thin.  He wore a blue Goodwill Apron.  It appeared to be his mother with him.  Easton of course noticed the mans differences right away.

Always quick to ask questions, he started asking us about this man and why he was in that chair.  We tried to explain to him that his legs didn't work like ours worked and that his chair was what helped him get around.  He wanted to know what happened.  And why.  And how.  And all of the questions a tender 3 year old heart could think of.  He let it all soak in a minute, then the questions started again. 

We eventually convinced him that we could talk about it later because we would not want to hurt this mans feelings if he felt like we were talking about him.  That worked.  We finished our dinner and enjoyed our pie.

Finally back at home, way later than the normal bedtime, we sat down for prayers in his rocker.  I was about to start and he said 'we didn't talk about that man that's legs didn't work'.

And the questions began again.

I explained as best I could once again, that God makes us all a bit different.  Some with blonde hair, some with brown.  Some tall, some short.  Some with legs that work and some that need a wheelchair to help get them around.  I explained that even though he was different from us, he was ok and that he was still having a good time at dinner with his mother.  That he was still a happy person. 

Easton kept asking why this man wasn't in Heaven.  I tried my best to explain to him that we are all alive and it's not our time to go to Heaven; that man was alive just like me and him were and it's just not our time.  I explained that when we die we go to Heaven, but when we get there we are alive again.  I told him we will all die one day and we will go to Heaven.  He quickly said 'not me, just old people die.'

His wheels were turning.  His heart showing through those twinkling brown eyes.  So tenderly taking everything in asking the questions he wasn't sure about and stopping me where he needed more clarification.

He must have accepted my answers because I was able to finish our prayers and lay him down with our normal 'good nights', 'sleep goods' and 'I love you's'.  But I know his little mind was still racing.  He thinks things through.  He's so tender.  He's so gentle with other peoples feelings.  He's just about perfect, if I do say so myself. 

But now I wonder.  How do you explain Heaven? How do I explain that Jesus is in Heaven, but he also lives in our hearts.  That He's what allows us to do the right things, to make the right choices, to love others.  How do you explain death and Heaven with a smile on your face, yet not wanting him to feel like he's missing out on that now. Often times he'll say 'I wanna go to Heaven mommy' and the tears form in my eyes. Heaven is a wonderful place, one we all want to go to, I just don't want him to go now. But how do I boldly, yet clearly explain that to him? Is there a book on how to teach a 3 year old about Heaven? Even about differences? Because for whatever reason, he felt that this man needed to be in Heaven. Have I told him to much? To little? To many details? 

This is such a precious age.  A trying age at times, but such a teachable age.  I want to make sure I'm doing this right.    I want him to KNOW Jesus, and Heaven, and accept others differences without even seeing them as different and to always have a heart for others.  I cannot believe this child is mine.  What a gift.  Lord, help me make the most of this gift- and to never take my position as his mother fore granted. 

'I wanna tawk about it'

A few weeks ago when we spent the day at Honey's house, that night before bedtime, we talked about all we did that day.  Every.  Single.  Detail.  And let me tell you, we did a lot.  And I didn't leave out a single detail.  If I did, he'd fill in what I left out.  The kid misses NOTHING.  We like details. What can I say? 

Ever since, itss been a new prolonging tactic that we have at bedtime.

Every night, we have the same routine.  Books.  Songs.  Prayers.  He knows whats coming next. 

But now, he wants to "talk about it" too.

After we read our books, he says "jus wanna rock a 'meenit'".  I let him know what's coming next.  "Easton, we're gonna rock, then sing some songs and say our prayers, then we go night night ok?"  He gets it.  He doesn't seem to mind bedtime if he knows what's coming.  It's that full thrust in to the bed that he doesn't like too much.  He likes to ease into it. 

After we rock, now he's started saying "I wanna tawk about it".  I've told him, we can either sing or talk.  He always chooses talk.  He IS mine, you know.  And of course, after the talking he wants to sing.  I'll say 'one song' and he'll follow me quickly with 'two songs!?' 

It's really quite precious and I can't seem to tell him no.  But, for the love, bedtime is getting longer and longer.  The nice part however, is, he's still.  He'll let me snuggle.  He'll let me rock.  He'll let me rest my cheek on his cheek and it's just us.  For those 20 or so minutes.  And it's good.  He needs that.  I do too. 

What do we 'tawk about you ask?'  Oh...those topics are for us... 

Just kidding.  Normally I'll ask what he wants to talk about and it always starts with "Honey".  We then go down the family line.  Even including 'Tysie Baby' and 'Cilla'.  We typically end with Kirby and I make up her events for the day.  It's really interesting, I tell ya.  I'm quite the story teller. 

I'll miss these moments when he's grown and doesn't want momma rocking him anymore.  So, for now, I'm trying to just KNOW its going to take some time in there, and just enjoy every minute. 

Always. Always. Always.

Since Easton was a little lovey, I've told him that I will 'always, always, always come back and get him.'

It started when he was probably around a year old. He was going through that seperation anxiety deal, not wanting me to leave. We'd have a talk in the car before we got to school and I'd tell him 'always, always, always.'

Time passed. Things got easier. Some days he goes in on his merry way, kissing me and walking me to the door. Others, he needs a little reasurrance.

Yesterday was one of those reassuring days. Though, not near as dramatic as it used to be but he needed my comfort nevertheless.

We were pulling in school. He was talking about playing outside with his friends. And he asked,  'Mommy come back?' I said 'Easton???' He looked back up at me with those melt my soul twinkling eyes and said those 3 words of comfort I've said to him for so long. 'Always, always, always.'

I had to catch it on video yesterday afternoon...so I could remember how sweet he sounds when he says it. He threw in a little extra love too.

God bless this child. I really never dreamed I could love someone so much. I could explode.

  

It only takes once...

We say our prayers every night.  Without fail.  We read 4-5 books, sing 4-5 songs, followed by some rocking and then our night time prayers.

Now I lay me, down to sleep.
I pray the Lord, my soul to keep.
God bless mommy, daddy, Easton & Kirby...

The rest changes night by night.

Last night The Boy informed me Mrs. Emily (his teacher) left early from school.  We talked about it a minute and he said she was sick. We agreed we should add her to our prayers.  So, we did.  We said our normal prayers, I laid him down, covered him up and to sleep he went.

Fast forward to today.

I was getting a run down of the day from Mrs. Emily.  I'd asked about Eli because I hadn't seen him.  She informed me he had fallen and split his eyebrow and had to go for stitches.

Once in the car, I was asking Easton about his day.  We went through a few things and then got to Eli.  We talked about him falling, hitting his eyebrow on the bookshelf and having to go to the doctor.

Without prompting, or suggesting, my boy said 'my say my prayers for Eeee-yiii?' and folded his hands and looked down.  I sat there with a lump in my throat, not believing my ears.  Then he peered up from under his brow as if to say 'well...get on with it mom.'  So, we prayed.  Then he asked 'my say prayer for Eyi go to doctor?'  And we did.  Then...'my say prayer for my 'nack.'  And that we did.  And he was satisfied.  And quite tickled with himself. 

There is really nothing to big or too small for our prayers.  Eli's eyebrow or our 'nack.

The fact is, my boy knew we needed to pray.  And he knew I'd pray with him.

And, in my book it doesn't get much better than that. 

Can I get a week of Sundays?

Yesterday was one of those days I'd just like to freeze and enjoy forever.  We all slept in, not having to get up and rush for church.  Don't get me wrong.  I love our church and am so thankful for it, but there's something about a slow morning day that is so refreshing. 

We had cinnamon toast and blueberries on the deck.  A picnic.  My boy loves a picnic. 

We played with the water table (thanks Uncle Matt & Lauren!!!), filled and dumped out bowls of water, gave out kisses, smiles all day long. 

I'll take days like this any time they're handing them out. 

After lunch it was way past time for a nap.  

The new trend at our house is nap on a pallet in the floor.  He won't nap in his bed and he loves to nap with one of us, but a pallet is doing the trick for now.  He thinks he's big.  He is big.  He's nearly the length of the quilt that I lay down for him. 

The boys napped and momma sat on the deck for close to 3 glorious hours reading The Hunger Games.  I finished Book 1. 

I was getting dinner ready and the boys were on the front porch waiting on the rain.  I passed by and saw this.   

It's moments like these I have to stop and pinch myself. These two are my heart. I love them so much. I love catching moments like this when they don't even know I'm looking.

I see many more talks like this.  I can see the concentration in L, as his brow is raised.  He's really listening to his son.  And I see the amusement in E as he looks up to his daddy, telling him one heck of a story, I'd imagine. 

I don't know what they were talking aout, and it's really not too importatant.  What is important is the relationship that these two have and will continue to have as the years go on.

As Lance said yesterday 'can you believe that he's ours forever?' 

A blessing indeed.  A true gift. 

Conversations with the Toddler

Some mornings, we ride quietly. 
Some mornings, we pass books back and forth.
Some mornings, we have breakfast in the car.


Some mornings, like this one, we have conversations (and breakfast).

This morning, since he was eating his breakfast in the car (quaker squares and blueberries) he didn't have his 'ra ra' in his mouth.  I particularly love these types of mornings.  We talk all the way to school.  And, he's quite entertaining. 

This morning, Lance left before Easton was up. He woke up singing his name. He LOVES his daddy! So as I was getting him ready I told him 'daddy left early, while you were still sleeping. He had to go to work.' He knows what this means. This happens maybe once a week. So as we're in the car, solving the worlds problems, he says 'Daddy??? Work. Errryee' Yes, Easton, that's right. Daddy had to go to work early. About this time we're passing Honey's house and he says 'honey? work?' 'Yes, Easton honey has to go to work today too.' We then go through the work list...daddy work, mommy work, gg work, papa work, honey work, etc. We get to Ali. He said Ayee work? I said 'no Ali has to go to school like you.'  I think this confused him beacuse he knew Ali wasn't at his school...so I said 'Ali goes to a big girl school'. After much thought, and a few blueberries, he said 'ayee, bi gul kuul' Yep, Easton, that's right! Ali is going to a big girl school.


Next, I was looking in my rearview mirror at him, sitting back there eating his breakfast and smiling, looking out the window, being happy and so stinking cute, and I said 'awwww, Easton, I love you'.  In his little sweet voice, he smiled real big and said 'uh huh!'  I said 'do you love Mommy?' He said 'yesh!'  Lance has been trying so hard to get him to say YES instead of Uh Huh and this morning it clicked.  Then I said "Yaaaaaay!' Then....melt my heart into a puddle of mush... he said 'kish' and leaned his head forward...  he wanted to give me a kiss.  He knew in that moment that we were having a sweet conversation...and he felt exactly the same as I did.  I.LOVE.THIS.KID.

Lastly, we were having a deep conversation about milk.  I had just handed him his milk to drink.  He said 'GG?'  I said 'yes, gg likes milk'...well then we proceed to go through Ronnie and Ayee and dediced they like milk too.  And somehow we made it to Duuuuude, Kappy, Peege & Bet...and low and behold, they are all fans of milk as well.   

I love how he knows who goes together.  Dude is never mentioned without the other 3 and mom is rarely ever mentioned without Ronnie & Ali being brought up. 

Deep conversations folks.  Deep

I absolutely love having these conversations with my son.