Reality check

We’re still alive but busy packing (for me) and with a new job (for Tyler). But, really quickly, I have to share a little conversation I had with Henry on the way back from Fernley where we purchased some packing supplies (yep, there’s nothing in Lovelock!) Henry: Have I been good enough today? Me: What do you mean? Henry: Am I going to heaven or to hell? I’m a little shocked but I give him a little lesson on the atonement: Jesus died on the cross so that if we try hard enough to be good, get baptized… then we can go to heaven even though we’re not perfect. Then Henry says: Dad’s going to heaven because he’s really cool. Me: I agree. Dad is a very good person. Henry: Are you going to heaven with Dad? So Dad goes to heaven but Mom, according to Henry that’s not so sure. I guess I’ll have try harder to keep my temper in check (even if Henry is unpacking a box I just finished), try harder to be nice (even if Henry has been pestering his sister all day long and my patience is running out), try harder to be cheerful (even though I’m really tired because I pack all day and watch and feed and entertain children all day long)… But those are only excuses, Henry really is a good boy, he just has his moments like all kids do and packing and moving has never brought the best out of a five-year-old. So, I will try harder so that Henry will think I’m as cool as Dad (and so that I’ll go to heaven.) This is an old photo of Henry (23 months) that I found while going through pictures and since this entry really is about Henry (or one of his many Henry-isms) I decided to post this super cute picture of baby Henry.

"Look twin eggs!"

This morning, as I was making breakfast, Henry was supervising the making of his morning meal’s favorite part: the eggs. As I broke the second egg into the pan, Henry exclaimed “look twins!” and sure enough there were two yolks in a single egg. It was pretty cool but what was even better was Henry’s reaction. He marveled at the novelty of the sight and the idea that chickens too could have twins. He was excited to have a new found piece of knowledge. He was anxious to share his discovery, right after “look twins!” he said “you have to take a picture” and then he ran to share the news with his dad. The “twins” definitely made his day and I came to the realization that children are often happier than adults because they take time to wonder at little things. Adults, and by adults I mean me, often tend to worry only about the big things; a clean house, balanced meals, church callings fulfilled, paperwork done….but children take time to notice that the blossoms on one specific tree are purple whereas the other trees have pink blossoms (I hadn’t noticed), they notice if the register lady gave me a Canadian dime (a novelty), they notice if some child on the way to school looks sad (I noticed we were running late), they notice if I haven’t told them I loved them today (I probably notice that I still had a floor to mop, or some ironing to do, or a phone call to make). I am grateful that my children remind me that to be truly happy I need to stop and smell the roses.

Sorry about the fuzzy picture. The hot pan kept fogging up the camera lens and I didn't have time to focus. This is the best shot I got.