Monday, September 22, 2008

A new page on the site, and deep thoughts with kids

Take a peek over to your right... by my profile picture. I made an almost laughably simple web page for my occasional selling of extra dresses. Its name is Kristi's Frocks, because I like the word "frock" (though it has a disconcerting way of sounding like a swear if you say it enough) and I'm very bad at picking out names for things. I had another name in mind that I thought was quite cute, but Jason told me that no one would understand what it meant, so we went with something more straightforward.

Over the dinner table we like to challenge the kids with questions. Sometimes its easy things like, "What is your full name" or asking them the real names of their Mommy, Daddy and grandparents (we figure this might come in handy if they are ever lost) or where certain foods come from. Other times we discuss deeper things like Jesus and heaven.

Last night we were talking about heaven and the kids brought up their Poppa and how much they missed him. They wanted to know when Poppa would be returning from heaven and they could see him. We talked about how we'd have to wait to get to heaven to talk and see him. Ethan said, "He's up there with his friends and having fun". Then they wanted to know if they could pray to Poppa and talk to him. Well, doesn't really work that way, we explained, though we could ask Jesus to pass along a message.

This morning, Ethan is in the bathroom off the kitchen going potty and I hear him say, "Dear God, please help me not to be scared (for some reason he is sometimes scared of bathrooms). Also Jesus, please tell Poppa that we miss him a lot and when we come to see him we'll have blue ice cream that has gum in it and we'll play with toys and it will be great. Tell him that Elly is here now and she's fun. Love you Jesus and Poppa!". Oh my goodness, way too cute and touching.

Then later, he tells me he wants to write a letter to Poppa so I get him some paper and a crayon and he writes a "letter" and then reads it to me and its pretty similar to what he said in the bathroom but you can just see in his eyes that its a pretty special to him. The kids go through times where they need to hear again how things happened and why. I have to say that the way they've handled the whole situation (and while we didn't tell them all the details, we were pretty frank with what happened) and their simple trust is amazing and inspiring. I wish I could be more childlike in this way.

Well, enough blogging for now. Elly is just miserable with her cold and my arms are already aching from holding her non-stop since we got up. I thought she was out for a good nap, but I hear her fussing. No rest for these weary arms!

1 comment:

Becki said...

That post totally made me want to cry. I miss Grandpa so much sometimes, and yet I am thankful to have tons of memories. It breaks my heart that the kids only have a few, yet obviously special memories of him.

And I think you and Jason being open and honest with them about sickness and death is great. Why do we shield our kids from stuff like that? Make the explanation age appropriate and tell them the truth.

Sorry Elsa is being a fussbudget (sp?). Give her (and E and G) a big kiss from AUNT Becki :-)