Mabel got to give her very first prayer in Sunbeams today. Mama and Daddy went, in case she needed help. She didn’t. As soon as the song was over, she marched right up, climbed up the podium, bowed her head and said, “Dear Heavenly Father. This is a Sunbeams class and thank thee for all these Sunbeams. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.” Then she marched back to her seat and sat down. Mama was so proud! Oh, and right before she gave the prayer (on behalf of the entire primary), she tells her teacher, “I did a prayer in Spanish” (which she did last night, before bed.) We had an audio clip, but David is still working on uploading it.
Before nap, she said her prayer for Aunt Mindy, “Dear Heavenly Father. Aunt Mindy has an owie on her neck. She is *really* sad. Could you please help her with that? In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.” followed by, “Now Aunt Mindy will be happy!” Aunt Mindy has a bulging disc in her neck; we had a family fast and prayer for her.
I love her prayers. I love her confidence. I love her sweet faith and testimony of her Father in Heaven and Jesus.
Little Mabel had a horrible, sad moment today, though we aren’t sure what sparked it. But, she was completely inconsolable and sad as she cried and pronounced through sobs and tears that she just wanted to go live with Heavenly Father, with her whole body. In mama’s ignorance, she was nervous to have her spirit leave her body, as I’ve tried to explain in the past, as “death.” Nope, that wasn’t it. She just cried harder declaring she wanted to go visit Heavenly Father. At that time, I exited, as Daddy continued to prepare her for nap. Daddy returned to me soon and told me that those were real, inconsolable tears.
Mabel finally slept. An hour later, she came to find us. When daddy asked if she felt better, she said, “Yep. Heavenly Father just took me to Heaven. He gave me a little dream.” I prodded a bit more, and she said, “I didn’t really go there, of course, it was just a dream. But, Heavenly Father leaded me there.” Mama: “Who did you see?” “Many people. Many, many people. They were happy.”
And that was it. So simple, so declarative. How pure for a child. I’m sure she knows what she saw, and will remember this. For her, I’m sure it holds great importance in her life. The Faith of a Child
I really can’t believe she’s 4. Like, hyperventilating that she’s four years old. I’ve decided that when people say it goes fast, it’s really after age 2. Because those first two years were really hard for me…
Dear Mabel:
You’re happy. Really, truly the pure definition of happy.
You love people. Anyone, any color, any size, any age. You want to talk to them.
You are precocious. I’d never heard that word in my life before your existence, but I’ve completely lost track as to how many strangers or other first-time-meetings bring out that word.
You just want to be with mama. If we go somewhere, you just ask to be at home, with mama. To play at home.
You have amazing manners. You are very in-control of your emotions and using words to express exactly what you need and how.
You have amazing self-discipline. I am amazed.
I want nothing more than to enroll you in Montessori school, but I can’t give it to you [right now] and it destroys me inside. I can’t wait until I get to look back and truly understand the Lord’s reasons for these things.
You are loved. By mama and daddy, but by so many strangers as well. You truly have a gift.
You are special. You have a purpose in this life that is greater than I can know, but I feel it. And I hope I can honor you by preparing you for it.
Painting with watercolor
Gathering art into her bed
Cleaning her room before bedtime
Meeting Ginger at daddy’s office
Making her gluten-free, vegan cupcakes (baked inside of GF, vegan cupcake cones), with vegan ice cream cones. Yummy! 😉
