Big things

9/11/11 The morning of the 10th anniversary of the attacks of 9/11. I'm letting the boys wander the house while I look through pictures and stories commemorating the day on the computer. Leif comes over while I'm looking at a picture of the Statue of Liberty with the World Trade Center buildings burning in the background, and he asks me what I'm looking at. I'm crying a little, so he knows something is very serious. I decide to tell him the very basics: "Mommy's sad because 10 years ago some bad people knocked down these buildings and a lot of really good people died."

Walking through 9/11 memorial at Kennesaw Mt.

That evening we visited Kennesaw Mt, where hundreds of flags were planted in honor of the fallen. I told Leif that these flags represented all of the good people who died.




9/12/11 We're driving in the car, and Leif says: "Mommy, tell me the story of the burning buildings again." So I tell him again about the bad people, and tell him about all of the good people who died and sacrificed on that day and in the following weeks to help rescue people and clean up the area, and now start building again and planting trees, where the buildings used to be.
Leif picks up on a word: "Mommy, how do we sacrifice?"
Me: "Sacrifice is when we choose to do something good even though it may cost us everything. Like Jesus- he sacrificed his life so that we can live with him forever when we die."
Leif: "Is he still dead?" (good question, Leif!)
Me: "No! He came back alive again after 3 days. He conquered death- he's the only person to ever do that because he was a man, and he was God."
We continue talking, and our conversation continues on death- what happens when we die. (I never thought that I'd have such deep conversations with a 3 year old, btw)
"When we die, we get to see Jesus. And Jesus will give us a new body that will never hurt, and we'll never be sad, and we'll never grow old. We'll get to live with Jesus forever. And mommy and daddy will be there with you, and all the people you miss in NJ. We'll get to live with them and never have to say goodbye."
With excitement Leif asks: "So, when can we die?"

Kennesaw Mt. 9/11 memorial

Now I realize I've sold the concept of death pretty well here. Maybe too well. And yet, I wonder if that shouldn't be all of our responses. We're all afraid of death because it's unknown, and because for many it involves a painful decline, but Leif doesn't yet know to fear death, he only knows hope and trust.  No wonder Jesus loved hanging out with little kids. I sure do.

Mark 10:14, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these."

Light Savers

Leif and his friend Will were playing together the other day. They were fighting with light-sabers, but calling them "light-savers". Sometimes Leif would even say "Life-saver". So, I decided to tell them the truth.
Me: "You know, they are actually called light sabers, not savers. Saber. (I over-pronounce the 'B') It's another word for sword."
Will: "No it's not." (not sure if he's fighting the definition of the word saber, or the whole concept of it being a light-saber)
Me: "It's like a saber-tooth tiger, have you heard of them? They have two big teeth that stick out of their mouths like swords."
Leif: "Do they SAVE people?"

At this point, I drop the subject altogether because I could see I was not getting anywhere with my little word lesson. I have given in and now refer to them as light-savers. It's a happy sounding mistake.

Leif's prayers

Leif has learned the art of praying out loud anytime, anywhere, from Charles and me. It's just a habit. We thank God for good things, and in a crisis are praying out loud almost the entire time. (who better to talk to?) Leif has truly embraced talking to Jesus about everything. A few months ago in the car I told Leif I had lost my brain. I heard him imploring God to get me my brain back.

A bad habit I'm in is when changing the rabbit tray quickly (like when company is about to arrive) I throw (well, place) the dirty rabbit tray in the garage, shut the door and forget about it.

Gordy (the culprit)

Yesterday, we arrived home, and went through the garage to go inside. A dirty rabbit tray was laying near our path. I hear Leif say, "There’s a lot of rabbit poop there. Mommy, did you see all this rabbit poop? (and then, very serious) Jesus, why did you send us rabbit poop?”

I made sure I took the tray out and washed it.

Dear Mommy

Leif read the label on my new hair brush.
It says, "Dear Mommy. Wash your hair and bwush with me. Goodbye."

Oh Captain, my Captain!

Marina at sunset
by Mari Ann

Charles and I recently brought the kids up to New Jersey for a visit. Traveling with Leif was endlessly entertaining. Our first stop was at my in-law's condo in Forked River. We arrived late in the evening, a little past the boy's bedtime, and put them to bed as quickly as possible. Leif awoke early the next morning, and looked out at the marina. "Look at all that water!" he exclaimed, "There must have been a flood!"

My in-laws took us sailing, and Charles was feeling sick and couldn't go. Knowing that I would probably end up holding Owen most of the sail, I wanted to make sure Leif understood that sailing was serious business and he had to listen to his grandparent's instructions. So, I explained that Papa was the Captain, and he was in charge, and would tell us what to do, and we must listen to him.

Leif & MyMy

However, the next time we got into the car, Leif announced that HE was the captain. So I asked, "Then who is daddy?" Leif said, "Daddy is just the driver. I tell him what to do." So, Leif earned the title, "Oh Captain, my Captain", and he still pulls the captain thing on me. Today getting in the car I told him to sit down and buckle his seatbelt, and he said to me, "I'm the Captain. I know what to do. Don't tell me what to do." You've just got to love 3 years olds.

Leif's two wonderful questions while sailing:
1) After tacking, he calmly asks me: "Are we going to sink now?"
2) Can we walk back?

In Need of Socialization

Setting: Driving home from the YMCA where Leif had spent time in childcare.

 Leif: A boy was saying mean things to me.

 Me: Oh Leif, that's terrible. Did you tell him not to be mean to you? 

 Leif: No

Me: Well, next time someone is mean to you, you tell them to be 

nice and if they continue, you tell someone in charge. 

Leif: Okay

Me: What kind of things was he saying?

Leif: He was saying things like- "Stop telling me what to do, you're not my mommy".

Me: Leif, were you telling him what to do?

Leif: Well, yes! 

Concept of Time

Leif: When will Owen be a little boy?
Me: In about a year.
Leif: When we're in NJ?
Me: No sweetheart, that's in a few days.
Leif: Oh
Me: Next year, Owen will be 2, and you'll be 4!
Leif: Oooh....(severely disappointed) I wanted to be 3 for WEEKS!