"Where did you learn THAT word?"

Last week, my family and I took a week long "edventure" to Williamsburg, Jamestown, Yorktown, and Mount Vernon. It was a wonderful trip with both sets of grandparents and an aunt going with us. I thought "vacation" was supposed to leave you feeling nice and relaxed ... HAHAHAHA!!! Anyway ...

My girls had been doing chores and earning "Virginia money" to spend for their souvenirs. Both had saved for several months (and Nana, Granny, and Pop-Pop had contributed loose change to the cause!) and both ended up with around $70-$75 to spend. Of course, everywhere we went, they thought it was time to spend their money. Sunshine Girl is not what I'd call a spendthrift. She was ready to buy the first day and spend all of her money. I reminded her that we had several stops to make during the week and that if she spent all of her money on day 1 that day 7 might not be quite as fun. So she settled for a "colonial" fan and a signal whistle. Satisfied!

On day 2 or 3, we were walking through the visitor's center at Colonial Williamsburg and there was a bookstore just as you went in. Well, any teacher is a glutton for a bookstore, so in we marched. Sunshine Girl spied a cute colonial girl doll (think American Girl, but another brand) that also had a book about the real girl behind the doll. She fell in love (which is kind of weird because she really doesn't play too much with dolls). All week, she kept debating whether to purchase the doll or not. All of the grown ups conspired against her ... "Well, just wait until the end of the week and if you still want her the most, she'll be there for you." Of course, it seemed that EVERY gift shop in Williamsburg had the same doll. It was pure TORTURE.

One day I had taken the girls for a potty break. (One of MANY!) As we entered the restroom, Sunshine Girl said, "I have a case of the s***-I's!" Oh my word!!! WHERE did that come from. I thought maybe I'd heard wrong. So I asked her (calmly), "What did you say?" And, much to my great dismay, she said it again. Not wanting to over-react, I asked her where she had heard that word. "Oh, nowhere. I just made it up." I asked the third time, "What are you saying, again?" And for the third time, she says, "I told you I have a case of the s****-I's." Finally, realizing that this was going nowhere fast, I asked, "Well, what is that? What do you mean by that?" She looked at me like I was from another planet. "Mom, you know. SHOULD I buy this or SHOULD I buy that? You know, the s***-I's."

Whew! I thought my child had gone completely wretched on me. I calmly explained that if she were going to use that made-up word she needed to pronounce it very carefully, that it sounded too much like a word we don't use the way she was saying it. She got the puzzled look on her face and said, "What? I'm not saying a bad word. What bad word does it sound like?" I spelled it (after instructing her again not to SAY the word) and she acted like she had never HEARD the word. "What is that, Mom?"

Oh, nevermind. Just keep your innocence, my love. In due time, your mind will be full of corrupt words that you hear from the world around you. In the meantime, just keep your enunciation clear and don't worry so much!! :)

The Treasure Chest

A week ago Saturday, my family attended the funeral/memorial service for the son of a friend from our church. He tragically died at age 18 while going for an evening run. His testimony is left with us, but it was a difficult funeral for all who were there. It seems, on a human level, that his life was cut short, but for believers, we know that he is at home now and is no longer cumbered down with all the things that 18 year olds are faced with here on earth. I know that he wouldn't trade places now for anything. Yes, in some ways, I am jealous.

Anyway, I looked for a sitter for my girls so that they would not have to attend the funeral. However, just about everyone I know around here was going to the funeral, so I really had no choice but to take them. I decided we should sit in the balcony of our church ... didn't really want them to have to "view" the body. Of course, the church was PACKED. We ended up sitting in full view of the open casket and they couldn't help but see his body. Oh well. So much for sheltering my Lil Princess and Sunshine Girl. Anyway, they handled everything well ... no nightmares ... no really hard questions.

After the family had a chance for one last look at his body, the funeral home workers began to close his casket. My sweet little Princess was sitting on my lap taking it ALL in. I was already fighting the battle of tears, when she sweetly pulled my head down to her and whispered sweetly in my ears, "Mommy, they are closing up the treasure chest." I don't know when the last time I thought "Out of the mouth of babes" before that day. But that was exactly my thought. And, boy, did I cry then.

Yes, that is one way to look at a casket ... a treasure chest. Not wishing to sound morbid, I thought about that (and still do). I know that the real Joseph was not there in that casket, but to those who knew and loved him, we loved the Joseph in bodily form. His mother carried that bodily form within her for 9 months and took care of it for 18 years. I am sure that his father rough-housed with that bodily form. His brothers and sister hugged, pinched, hit, that bodily form. Joseph's bodily form was the shell that housed the real Joseph. It's what we see the pictures of and how we remember Joseph. So in some ways, that "treasure chest" WAS holding a treasure.

I can't imagine losing one of my own children. They are indeed my treasures! To have to see one in her own "treasure chest" would kill me, but for the grace of God. But, I know that Joseph was treasured just as my girls are. And, maybe to a 4 year old little girl, thinking of a casket as a treasure chest isn't as far off as one might initially think.