Notable Quotables and the Circle of Life

Two things that were actually said yesterday:

"Mary, get out of the sink!"
I told you she was climbing onto my counters!

and from Ben:
"Mommy, butt scare you?"
When I looked at him with a surprised look after he passed gas long and loud.

I told this last one to Sam when he got home from school and let me tell you...it was right in line with his 9 year old, boy humor. He kept repeating it out loud and laughed and laughed and laughed. You see, Sam and Abby were raised to say "bottom", not "butt". As they've gotten older I've grown more slack and whether I correct them or not depends on how they say it. Of course, the funniest thing in the world to them is to get Ben to say these things like "butt" and "fart"...because I prefer "passed gas". So Ben now thinks that it is not only acceptable to talk like this, but enjoys making Sam and Abby laugh. However, he was very serious when he asked me if his butt scared me.

Ben is starting to step outside of his "everything is about me" stage. Not far...but he does occasionally bring his big toe over the line. When I tripped and hurt my foot on one of the many toys scattered about our family room, I let out a soft cry in pain. He said, "Alright, mommy?". These really are musical words to my ears. So often I am making sure everyone else is alright. That they have all of their needs met and are OK when they fall. What great pleasure it brings me to hear words from Ben's mouth like, "Thank you, Mommy" and "Alright, Mommy?", "OK, Mommy!" and my personal favorite "I love you too". Two year olds don't wear masks...so you know whatever is coming out of their mouths is real. Often I hear the words of distress and need. But a sprinkling of these cute, positive, innocent words go a long way with me. And at night, or in the car, when I hear him sing (a couple of beats behind the tempo of the music) his cute Thomas songs...I just melt. His sweet, lilting voice. I can't even describe it to you...

Either he is showing me more of his sweetness, or my eyes are more able to see it now than before. Whatever it is, I am looking around and God's revealing to me some goodness...some beauty...that I had a tough time seeing before. I only saw the bad. It's like putting on a whole new set of contact lenses that help you to see more clearly. It's not like that stuff wasn't there before...I just couldn't see it. As the kids are getting beyond their neediness and able to be happier on their own, they are showing me some beautiful qualities. I am able to take it all in and it makes me so happy that, in turn, it flows out of me and back to them. I guess that's how God works in my life. He shows me beauty, and if I'm in a good place, I can take it in and then give it back to Him and everyone around me. It's the Circle of Life.