the special moments of motherhood that you are never prepared for...

I had to go to a neighboring town today to pick up a bed frame from someone selling it on Craigslist. I packed Noah in the car and headed out into a disgusting day of clouds and rain. Noah is still very much into the idea of Christmas. She still demands I sing "Away in a Manger" every night before bed, she still make believes that she is Santa every day and tells me I'm on the naughty list, and she still wants to watch "Mickey Saves Santa" any time she gets the chance. As we are driving down a back road she asks about baby Jesus in the manger. "Where is baby Jesus and his manger?" I tell her that He's not in the manger anymore, that he grew up, and now He's in heaven with Heavenly Father. She replies "What do Mary and Joseph say?" I answer that Mary and Joseph are in Heaven with Him. They are all together. Then she says "Well, how did He get there?" I stop. My mind is racing- I don't want to make up a baby-like watered down story to placate her, but I don't know if she'll understand what I really want her to know- so I just start talking and pray for the Spirit to be in the car with us. When Jesus grew up He had something big to do, and that big thing was that He had to die. He died for you and me and it hurt Him, but He died so that you and daddy and mommy could live with Him forever. It was really hard and He had to leave His mommy, but it was the best and nicest thing anyone has ever done, ever. He did it because He loves us more than anyone ever has. She didn't even blink. "I don't like that story, Mommy." I start cracking up- she is so honest, and I know exactly what she means. I don't like a lot about that story, it's a hard and truthful story to learn, even for adults, but I love my Savior. "Tell me another Jesus story." is what she says next...Ok, when Jesus was a grown-up  he traveled all over and taught people about Heavenly Father and he saw lots of sick and sad people and he healed them and made them better with His power from Heavenly Father. "He gave them medicine?" No, he touched them and talked to them and they got better magically, Jesus could make miracles happen. "Tell me another Jesus story! I love them!" she giggles. So next I tell her about the loaves and fish, and some more miracles that our Savior performed, and she was so pleased and happy to learn about Him that I just about died with pride and love. In the pouring rain, with no sun, on our way to a Craiglist house where I could have totally been killed by the Craigslist killer- I had one of the most tender and special conversations I have had in a long time. Being a mom is the best. Ever. xoxo Layne