Salvation being um,…important and all…I freely talk about Jesus around Sara and Kelly without even attempting to explain to them what it means.  I’ve only said that Grandma Donna and GG live with Jesus, up in the sky, far, far away.  It seemed only logical to Sara that when I said we were going on vacation (bay-cation) and the drive would take us far, far away, Sara asked if we were baycationing in heaven.

Last week our dear friends Alan and Amie welcomed their baby girl into their family.  Mucho excit-a-mont for those of us who have waited for her arrival on pins and needles.  Little Alexa was born with an infection, and has unfortunately spent her first week on earth in the NICU.  I was so saddened by this news that I turned off the radio on the way to the library last week and I asked Sara to pray for Alexa.  When we pulled into our parking space, I said my Amens, and asked Sara if she prayed really hard for the new baby.  She sighed, as if her workload was just too much, when she said, “Nooo.  I was too busy praying for the mailboxes.”

I thought to myself, I should start doing a better job at introducing this whole God concept to the girls.  You think they’re too young?  Sara yelled at a man last month to, and I quote, “Take a drag off that cigarette or PUT IT OUT.”  Be careful what you mutter under your breath in front of a 2 year old.  On the flip side, she’s not too young to learn that cigs are nasty, so I suppose God should make that list as well.

Which brings me to tonight’s dinner.  I told the girls that although we inherited a perfectly good dinner prayer, perhaps it would be fun to create one of our own.  I wanted it to focus on giving thanks, so I made a draft list of things I would like to thank Jesus for daily: family, a lovely day, food…you know, the biggies.  Sara, looking perplexed per her usual, said, “But Mommy, you porgot to tank Jesus for da Zoo.”

Yes Jesus, thank you for the Zoo.  And please lay the Holy Spirit upon my children because apparently I STINK at witnessing your message.  On the other hand, if I were 1 week shy of turning 3 with a teething sister and an exhausted Mommy, I might just be hanging onto the Zoo as the blessing that is keeping me going too.