Angels

Children, no doubt, are some of the most frustrating things to live with at times. Juxtaposing that frustration on a scale with the amount of joy and happiness that they also bring, the scale not only tips to the side of joy and happiness, but it comes crashing down at the very attempt of trying to compare the two. And with that I give you some more "Ribbits" as they have been come to be know or in other words "Nelson Nickels" from E, R, A, or B.

Our always charismatic Andrew who often can have a flare for the dramatics when he is trying to get what he wants was in the middle of throwing a loud, high-pitched, self pity-party tantrum that just gouges the last nerve. What it was over evades me at this point, but in my attempt to handle the situation by obfuscation and distraction, the following conversation took place:

Dad: Andrew, if I told that I would give you five dollars to stop screaming and crying, would you stop.

Andrew: (in his whimpering fallen sparrow voice, tears still dripping): what dad?

D: I am asking you if you would stop screaming and crying If I told you I was going to give you five dollars for stopping

. . . ( a very measured pause of silence)

A: I'll take twenty

At this point I lost all expressions of seriousness from my face and walked away throwing my arms up in air, holding in the laughter, befuddled at how to counter what Andrew had just said.


Andrew, upon realizing that there would be no greenbacks coming his way, continued his whining and crying.

Not that the other children don't say anything quote-worthy but Andrew had another insightful 'ribbit' that must be told as its implications of what goes on in his head is staggering.

Last night he was eating his well earned otter-pop after dinner out on the deck as usual to keep the kitchen clean. I was cleaning up the grill after having successfully cooked pork chops when I hear some excitement from behind me. He comes running over with a hole in his smile and a tooth in hand. "Dad!" he exclaimed "my first loose tooth." I can not adequately express his exuberance that he had just lost his first tooth. You see, during kindergarten this last school year, each child had there name on a paper laminated tooth cut-out in the classroom. Each time someone lost a tooth, they would get to put a star on their paper tooth for everyone to see. Andrews remained empty the whole year despite other classmates teeth filling up with stars. He was so intent on being able to put up stars that he brought his tooth home and has adorned our refrigerator since getting out of school in June. He was so excited about putting up a star on his tooth, the whole tooth fairy concept had somehow passed him by. So Wendy and I were educating him on the ins-and-out of the how the tooth fairy works. Well Eric couldn't help but add that sometimes it takes a while for the tooth fairy to get around to coming which in turn made Andrew very concerned. We explained that the tooth fairy never misses the first tooth, and her timely response is all based on whether or not the child who lost their tooth believes in the tooth fairy.

Andrew took it all in stride and then asked "Mom, what if the the tooth fairy goes bankrupt?"

Can you believe a six year old is concerned that a tooth fairy might be bankrupt and he may not get his money. It must have something to do with our increased frequency of playing Monopoly as of late.

Another one from yesterday occured while I was teaching in my new calling as a Deacons quorum advisor. Present in the lesson were three deacons including the our oldest Eric, and two other leaders, Brother Sean Stout and Brother Jeff Nelson. My topic was Christ-centered repentance. The nice thing about this deacons quorum is there willingness to participate in lesson. Eric is no exception.
As we are going along, I notice that Eric is starting to race to answer the questions before any of the other boys. So I remind the whole class to raise there hands before speaking. The other two oblige my request, but Eric continues to more or less blurt out the answers before raising his hand. So being his Dad and deacons quorum advisor, I am conflicted about how to approach singling him out to get him to be more polite. I don't say anything at first, continuing on with the lesson, since he is the only not raising his hand. Meanwhile I am pondering how to effectively get the point across to him. Finally, after once again blurting out answers while my back was turned to the class writing on the chalk board, I just call him out "Eric , you need to wait to talk until you have raised your hand, and I have called on you." To which he quickly replied in his quieted whimpering voice as if I had just asked him to do impossible chore "I'm trying, its just sooo hard when I know all the answers." Brother Stout and Nelson couldn't hold back the laughter while I just kept my back turned and rolled my eyes.

Anyway, gotta love these angels that Wendy and I have been blessed with.