Jacuzzi and Jazz

This afternoon, Jefferson approached me with a list in his hands. "Since my birthday is approaching, I made a list of presents I would like to have. You don't have to give me all of them. I'm asking six, since I'll be turning six soon." -said Jefferson matter-of-factly. He had made a picture for each present. This is his list: 1. A (Nerf) gun with lots of bullets that rotate 2. two walkie talkies 3. A gun with rubber band/a bow and arrow 4. A card to send to Jacob 5. Books 6. A jacuzzi. I can understand the first five, but the jacuzzi made me burst into laughter. This is all being explained to me in a very matter-of -fact manner. He didn't understand the reason for my laughter, so he asked me why I was laughing. I just plainly told him that a jacuzzi is kind of a big purchase and you buy it as a family after you've saved a lot of money. He said "That's why I'm giving you my list now, so you can start saving." In my mind I was saying: "Just in time for your 16th birthday."

Thursdays is our board game night. The boys love to play any board games I choose, although Monopoly Junior is their favorite. However, I had to punish the boys tonight by taking away their game time. Their room was a mess, and they had to clean it before they could play. Bed time was approaching and they hadn't finished cleaning yet (I actually heard them playing with their soldiers instead of putting them up). So, I called them from downstairs saying that I was coming to sing song and say prayer before turning lights out. I heard both boys crying while they were cleaning. And then I hear Gillian say: "Oh, don't cry. Just clean up quickly. You know she won't put us to bed without at least reading to us. Let me finish this and you go and find your books." I couldn't help smiling. Reading in my house isn't a privilege; it's a right, and my children know that. When I did read to my children, Gillian had chosen a book of fairy tales by Hans Christian Anderson. I read his tales when I was very young, way before I watched the happy ending versions of Disney (I prefer the happy endings myself). One of the tales Gillian chose to read was "The little match girl." That is the saddest story ever, and I remember crying when I read it. I love the rich language and the beautiful style Anderson writes. Tonight, as I was reading it I felt my voice quiver. I told Gillian and the boys that this story makes me very sad, and then I asked them what they thought. The boys were sad too and felt sorry for the little girl. Gillian, however, said that it made her be grateful for a loving mother and father, and for having the gospel. I asked her to expand the bit about the gospel. She said that knowing that the little girl will be with Heavenly Father and Jesus made her happy; the little girl will for sure be loved and warm with Them in Heaven." That's my girl, bringing joy where there is sadness.

During my one on one time with Gillian tonight, I asked her what was one interesting thing she had learned today (I try to vary my questions every night). She told me she had read a book about a musician called Louis Armstrong, nicknamed Dipper. Then, she proceeded to tell me what she had learned about him. What she told me next made me proud of myself for having taught my children right. She said that after learning about him, it just made sense to find some music by him, but the library in their school didn't have any. My children are so used to the idea that if we want to know more about something we either find more books in the library or look it up on the Internet. I used the Internet a lot when I homeschooled. For music, we would always go and find any music we wanted to hear on Youtube. Fortunately for Gillian, she didn't have to wait till tomorrow to listen to Louis Armstrong on line; her mother provided her with an amazing CD of the great musician. She was lulled to sleep by Louis Armstrong's "What a wonderful world."

"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." Prov.22:6