Pictureless memories...

You know how you hear your children say things and you think, "I am gonna write that down so I don't forget it!" Well, most times, that is true for me, but I have finally decided to document some of the wonderful things that the boys have said.....lest I ever forget.

We LOVE doing the Resurrection Eggs at Easter in our house. If you haven't seen them, it's an egg carton full of a dozen plastic eggs in varying pastel colors that each hold a small token that tells of the story leading up to the death and resurrection of Christ. An example of some of the egg treasures are dice (representing how the soldiers cast lots for Christ's clothing), a piece of linen cloth (representing the cloth Jesus' body was wrapped with at his burial) and even a final empty egg that symbolizes the empty tomb when Christ triumphantly rose from the dead. The boys could not contain themselves to open a new egg each night and hear the story that the treasure inside represented. One of the first few eggs held a few silver coins that represented the money that Judas Iscariot accepted to hand over Jesus to the soldiers. The boys were fascinated by this...partly because the coins looked like a silver version of the tokens you get at Chuck E. Cheese and partly because they learned what betrayal meant and were astonished at what "bad choices" Judas made. The best part, however, was when the boys were recounting the story a few days later and so purposefully and honestly called Judas Iscariot, "Judas the Scariest". After Hugh and I composed ourselves, we did agree with them....he was the scariest!!

One afternoon, while my parents were still in Florida, Evan was talking to my Mom on the phone. He is quite the conversationalist for a three year old and it was no surprise when I heard him ask her what she had for dinner that night. She told him that she and Papa had had some fish and then said, "Do you like fish, Evan?" To which Evan promptly replied, "Yes, Mammy...the dead kind that look like chicken mcnuggets." Absolutely hysterical!!

One night while reading their nightly Bible story, Tanner started asking questions about who wrote the Bible and how we know it is true. Very honest, insightful and poignant questions for a five year old...or for anyone for that matter. What was the best part was when he asked me this question.."So where did you get that Bible, Mom? Did God just give it to you?" So sweet and so much why we should become like little children.....
He then asked us if we could get him a Bible "just like Mom's" with "Holy Bible" written on the front and some of the words in red. In other words, not a kid's story Bible like he had so far, but a "big Bible". How precious.

A few weeks ago, Evan came running into the kitchen, breathless as usual, and asked me if I could please teach him how to fly...Wow! They really do think that mom's can do ANYTHING when they are three!!!

Evan saying his prayers one night...."God, thank you for my mom and dad and my brother, Tanner. You know, God, Tanner is the one that is five and I am three. I am gonna be five soon too, God, if I keep growing. Amen."

And, finally, my favorite kind of moment.....

Hugh and I always spend a few precious moments at each boys' bedside as we tuck them in and have a little one-on-one time before they go to sleep. We all look forward to these "moments" and I was blessed to have one the other night with Evan. Whenever Evan is feeling a little sentimental or loving, he refers to me as "Moo Moo". I am not sure why, exactly, and prefer not to think of the blatantly obvious reasons for such a name(: But, I absolutely adore to hear his little voice call me Moo Moo. And so it was, on this night, he said, as I approached his bed, "Oh Moo Moo...I sure do love you!" And my heart melted. "I love you too, Evan". He was quiet for a few seconds and then said, "Moo Moo, I don't want you to ever die. And I don't ever want Daddy, or Tanner, or Evan or Moo Moo to die- to which older and wise brother, Tanner, promptly replied, "Well, Evan, we are all gonna die someday- when God is finished with us here on Earth." My ever practical, "I have been hearing what you have been telling me" Tanner....so sweet! I spent several minutes reassuring Evan that all was well and he had nothing to worry about. Tanner even chimed in with more knowledge that "When you die you get to go to Heaven with God and anything and everything that makes you happy is in Heaven, Evan, so it is really cool. Oh, and there is no crying there, either!"

Then Evan hugged me really tightly and asked me in the softest voice, "But Moo Moo, how does it feel when you die?" Oh sweet, sweet soul....how deep and how perceptive for a three year old mind. I told Evan that I wasn't sure what it would feel like, but that God promised us He would always be with us and that we would never have to be afraid. We all seemed to think that it would be a lot like sleeping and, thankfully, this satisfied both boys for the moment. They were content to be kissed and tucked in once more for the night.

These are the moments I will remember forever....some will make me laugh again and some will make me ponder all things precious and granted to us as loving blessings from God. And all of them will make my heart smile! Thank you, Tanner and Evan, for such memories!!