The Easter Story

Since this is the week before Spring Break for Drew's preschool, they've been learning the Easter story piece by piece. His super, incredibly creative teachers have been teaching it through an Easter egg hunt. Each day the children have had to look around for 1 or 2 eggs (depending on which part of the story they were telling). The teachers would then gather the children up & open the eggs...inside was a small object representing a part of the story. Drew has really enjoying telling me what has been in each egg (a donkey, a palm branch, etc.) & what the story behind the object is. So today the conversation was pretty much the same...

Me: So, how many eggs did you have to find today?
Drew: 1
Me: What was inside this one?
Drew: Ummmmm...oh yeah, it was a pokey crown.

*pause for me to regain my composure as my stomach has hit the floor*

Drew (while Mom is still pulling herself together): And Jesus had to put it on his head & they pushed it down so hard that it made his head all bloody."

I am now sitting silently listening...hanging on every word that comes out of this sweet boy's mouth. I am amazed at the profound truth he is spouting off to me that he learned from two faithful women of God at school. I find myself thankful that, although these women are teaching young, tender, (super sensitive in my Drew's case) hearts, they are not going to "sugar coat" the Easter story. I find myself thankful that the Easter story has the most glorious ending of any story I've ever read or been told. And I find myself thankful that without the ugly, mean, bloody part of the Easter story, the story of my life wouldn't have the glorious ending that it one day will!

Ok, fast forward a bit to Brandon's nap time...I am working on my Bible study for the day & Drew is asking (quite politely) to play the iPad when I'm finished. I give it to him cautioning him that when Mom says, "time's up", he needs to put it away. Well, he decides one more game is in order when I say "time's up". Nope! I begin to walk over to confiscate the iPad when he decides he'll show me...he closes the cover & slams the iPad down on the couch. Oh no no no no no son...time out...

He serves his time & we sit down for a talk about why he was there, what he was thinking/feeling, what he could have done different, etc. He gives me his apology & recently we've begun asking him to pray, saying sorry to Jesus for whatever he's done, & asking for His forgiveness. He begins to pray...

"Dear Jesus, I'm sorry that I didn't obey Mom the first time she told me to be done on the iPad. Jesus, I'm really sorry that you had to have that pokey crown on your head & had to have it all bloody on your head..."

My thoughts drifted at that point...I found myself echoing his prayer, "I'm really sorry about that too, Jesus..."

That was an amazing moment spun from the faithful teaching of an incredible story...

I can't wait to hear the "rest of the story" from Drew on Friday! Thankful again it is such a gloriously happy ending!

Rhyme Time

I love when kids learn how to rhyme!
Not sure the exact reason, just think it's a pretty incredible concept & once they've figured it out, they can go on & on...

Tonight, my over-achiever 2 year old (I say that in jest of course) showed off his rhyming skills while reading a rhyming favorite of mine..."Go Dog. Go".
We've read this book about a million times so I thought I'd give Brandon a shot at one of my favorite early reading activities, "fill in the blank".
So, things were going along smoothly with him surpassing my expectations & filling in the correct word each time...then we got to the page that says, "Go by scooter. Go by skis. Bundle up so you don't freeze." I left out the word "freeze" & he confidently filled in the blank with "cheese"!
I did my best to stifle my laughter, paused, looked at him with a smile & he looked back & repeated "cheese!" He chuckled a bit & Drew & I could no longer hold in our laughter...
I looked back at him and said, "Brandon, you are..." Before I could finish he chimed in, "Mama, I funny!"

Yes buddy, you are funny indeed! :)

A Quick Bedtime Story

Here was the conversation at bedtime tonight...
Drew: Can we read one more book?
Me: Nope, it's already way past bedtime & you have school in the morning.
Drew: Maaaaaaan! (exasperated) oh ok, we'll just read more tomorrow.
Me: Sure thing...now please lay down & be a good example to your brother.

Brandon, meanwhile, begins his routine of flopping around the bed like a fish out of water...this routine almost always results in me getting kicked, punched, hair pulled, pinched, kneed, elbowed, or all of the above. I usually try to ignore it unless he really hurts me (since I know it's not intentional).

Well tonight, he got me good...a pinch on the forearm directly followed by a head to my lower jaw...yep, I lost it! I yelled out in pain (& frustration)...

Me: Seriously?!?!?! I am not a human jungle gym! I am your mother! I don't deserve to be treated like a rag doll!
Brandon: Sar...(sorry)
Drew: (matching my frustrated tone exactly) I know Mom! I know exactly how you feel!

Really? Oh good, I'm glad someone understands...

Never short on laughs in this house! ;)