For Posterity's Sake: Week in Review 17

Prayers, Parts of Speech, and Pillows, Oh My...

This Sunday and Monday Audrey informed me several times, "Mama, my name is two." I tried to explain that her age was two, but she wasn't having it.

While she's a little fuzzy on the appropriate noun to use, exclamations she has down. Thursday during dinner she began fishing around her booster seat. After a lengthy search, she pulled a coffee cake crumb from under her leg, placed it on the table and cheered, "Ta-da!"

And sometimes, when exclaiming, no words are needed. On Monday, we went to the library to play with the train set. Audrey went up to the children's desk to give the librarian my card in exchange for some trains. When the librarian handed Audrey the trains, she squealed and took off running in the direction of the play set. The librarian, a jovial lady, laughed and said, "at least she's excited."

Jason and I have been a little under the weather this week. Audrey has been taking care of us in her own way, asking us if we're okay and freely offering hugs to help us feel better. Last night, as Jason lay on the floor, she began collecting pillows. She placed one under his head, one under his feet, and put one across his chest to be used as a blanket. Content with his makeshift bed, she bent down and kissed his forehead.

We like to pray as a family before our meals. Audrey thinks that praying is the most fun when we join our hands together to form a circle on the table. On Tuesday, I had set our filled plates on the table before asking Audrey if she wanted to make a circle with us to pray. She looked at me, looked at the food, and said, "here" as she took my hand set it in Jason's. Then, she grabbed her fork and began spearing her food.

This week Jason has also started to teach Audrey to pray at bedtime. They kneel together in front of her chair and list things for which they are thankful. Last night, I put Audrey to bed. We knelt in front of her chair and prayed like Jason has taught her. She thanked God for her Daddy, Emmy (the dog), Grammy, Mamaw, Papaw, and her aunts and uncles and cousin. Then I asked if there was anything else she wanted to give thanks for. Without a moment's hesitation she added, "thank you for rhinoceros." Indeed.

I find that due to dreary weather or stuffed sinuses, some weeks take just a little more effort to migrate through. They are slow-going at best, make you feel like you're simply muddling through as a parent or spouse at worst. This week was a little like that. And yet, it was a week filled with exclamations, kind gestures, and prayers for the most mundane (and somehow, sweet) things. I have found this to be one of life's great, ironic gifts - that when one takes on the time and energy-intensive job of being a parent or spouse, even the soggy, sniffly, puddle-filled weeks are ones to be appreciated, sometimes the most. I hope your week as been as blessed as mine: that you had someone to cheer when you didn't feel like it, pray for you whether you deserved it or not, and bring you a pillow if you needed comfort. If not, try giving thanks for a rhinoceros. It just might lighten your day.