It's been a long week (or so)

M finally turned seven, which is just one year closer to being baptized and becoming a Cub Scout.  Instead of giving him more Legos, we re-gifted him HIS Legos, not only assembled, but on the big conference table for his amusement until Sunday dinner.  It worked out pretty well.  He even scored a visit from Aunt Sheri, Uncle Dave, and Hayden (who spent most of his visit asleep on the floor).

We finished the celebration on Sunday with chocolate cupcakes.

The devastating earthquake in Japan on the day after M’s birthday gave us an opportunity to reflect on our own preparedness (nowhere near enough) and appreciation for the 72 hour kits that we finally assembled on New Year’s Eve.

M has been consumed with how to help Japan, fueled by my own obsession with the news.  I learned the hard way that too much news is really TOO MUCH NEWS for a seven year old.  He is ready to donate all of his birthday money to the Humanitarian Aid line on the tithing slip.  (Yeah, that didn't happen.)  

He has also been trying to be practical in his approach and started designing robots that can help with the recovery.  This is one of my favorites.

He was ready to send his drawings to President Obama for approval.  But he decided to go watch TV and forgot.

The Mom Teaching Moment of the Week came one night when he asked, “Mom, was the earthquake just Mother Nature or Satan?”

How I wished that I could blame it on Satan or divine retribution, but really, how does one explain to a newly seven-year-old that bad things happen to good people and it’s not Satan’s fault?  I think my answer was sufficient for his very tired little spirit.  I explained to him that good people go to heaven, even after bad things happen to them, and that is a good place to be.  He replied, “But what about the people who love them?”  It broke my heart.

M spent his birthday on Amoxicillin, I had finished my bottle by then, and S is working on her very own prescription.  She was lucky, too, since our pharmacy of choice was out.  OUT!  I guess you could say that we have something going around Boise right now : (  

Geoff and I have spent the last week trying to pretend we aren't sick, and are finally feeling better so maybe there is hope.

Meanwhile, Spring is springing and there is still so much to do outside.  Funny how it sneaks up on me every single year.  I really should get wise to it.  Now it's going to have to wait until after spring break.  I'm hoping I don't miss the entire forsythia show while we're gone.  

It can be soooooo pretty.

The Week's Great Parenting Moments

You know the mom moment when you say, “Some day you’ll thank me for this!” 

Why can’t that day be now?  Hopefully they'll be grateful for their piano lessons before they go gray.  More on this later, I'm sure.

*****

Why was I not surprised when M walked through the door wearing a tooth mask that he created to celebrate his first tooth lost at school?  (Bonus:  if you wear it upside down, it kind of look's like the pope's hat!)

*****

When last Saturday night rolled around with a chorus of coughs, I announced to Bishop Dad that we would NOT be going to church the next morning.  

A (the newest sicko) was fine with the idea.  

S struggled with the concept, especially since she just knew that her teacher would be bringing treats.  

And I guess I just didn’t tell M, because when he found me still in bed at 8:45 Sunday morning, he asked, “So who’s going to church, Mom?”  And then asked me every 15 minutes, “What’s going on at church now?”

Because I had a captive audience, I made them all join me in the frigid basement where we watched “The Testaments of One Fold and One Shepherd” together.  M was convinced that it was rated at least PG - 13 and hid his head in my lap during the intense moments.  

When A and S kept saying, “I just had this lesson!” and M said, “His heart is hard, huh, Mom?” and "That picture's in the church hallway!"  -- my heart grow three sizes.  They kind of get it.

Then I got heady with my power and made them watch “Johnny Lingo.”  During the opening credits, M deemed it the most stupid movie ever (and he would know, being a connoisseur of stupid movies), definitely NOT a church movie, and he went off to play.  A and S stuck with it, thoroughly convinced I was insane to be subjecting them to a 42 year old (Yikes!) BYU production with bad wigs.  At 12:30, I excused them from “church.”  My job was done.

*****

One night M and I were reading “Abraham and the Sacrifice of Isaac” in the Old Testament Stories before bed:

“Abraham had obeyed God.  He was willing to let his son die.  What Abraham did was like what Heavenly Father did.  Heavenly Father was willing to let his son, Jesus Christ, die for us.” 

M related that the cross was kind of like an altar that Jesus was sacrificed on.  Wow.  A six-year old who grasps symbolism.  Who knew?

*****

When discussing how Katy Perry should NOT be on his girlfriend list because a) she’s already married, and b) I don’t think she’d be a good influence on him, M stated, “Yeah, she’d have to fill out a lot of paperwork to get into the church.”  

Duh!

*****

A few chapters later in Old Testament Stories, we find the story of “Joseph in Egypt.”

“Potiphar’s wife also liked Joseph.  She tried to make Joseph kiss her.  Joseph knew this was not right.  Joseph ran away from her.”

Me:  “See, Joseph knew it wasn’t okay to be kissing someone else’s wife.”

M:  “I kiss Lindsey!!” (shocked at himself!)

Me:  “Since she’s your cousin, we’ll say it’s alright.”  (and since he’s probably given Mr. Lindsey a few kisses, too).

*****

And to think, I get to do it all over this week!!