There was something magical about this pleasant weekend.... a weekend where there wasn't any stress, bickering was at a minimum, and we were able to have quality family fun. It just so happens we were also celebrating the Easter season AND Cameron and Taylor's 1 year anniversary with us. Usually, holidays or special events lead to terrible acting out and chaos in our home. However, this weekend was entirely different. I decided not to do household chores, leaving me time to just lounge with the kids (thankfully, my mother-in-law decided my chores still needed to be done, so she cleaned my lower level for me while I was at work, freeing up my weekend tremendously!). I spent time reading books to the kids, going to the movies together, shopping and allowing them to finally use their Christmas and birthday money, and letting them play with friends. But most importantly, we spent time talking about the story of Easter in words they understood and explaining why doing the right thing instead of the wrong thing shows respect to the sacrifice that Jesus made for us.
Cameron, my tender-hearted child, immediately wanted to pray and thank Jesus for dying for him. (My heart melted.) And then he vowed to try to do the right thing from then on. Taylor, my goon, informed me that she's not going to lie anymore because she doesn't want to "have to go up to Core where the bad man will fire her." (Ummm, come again?) It took me a while to realize that she is calling Hell by the name of "Core" (I have no idea how... it's her brain... there's something wrong) and that she thought the bad man (the devil) was going to light her on fire. I realized that she was still struggling with the concepts a bit (and that nightmares were in her future) so I re-explained to her that she won't be lit on fire for lying.... and then she promptly said, "Phew! I guess I get to keep lying then!" I'm starting to think I should've let the Core thing play out for at least a week....
Cameron came up to me later in the day with a look of panic on his face. "Mommy, I said a lie and I forgot what I'm supposed to do to make that black stuff get off my heart!" I reminded him that when we pray and ask for forgiveness, Jesus takes his big eraser and wipes away the black sin that covers our hearts, making them bright and clean again. Cameron immediately closed his eyes (in the lobby of the movie theater), put his hand over his heart, and rubbed his chest as if he were holding a big eraser. He smiled real big, opened his eyes, and then announced, "Jesus fixed me up. Let's watch this movie already." So we did. And both kids cuddled up with me as we ate movie theater popcorn (the entire tub.... and yes, we all had diarrhea for the rest of the day). And we smiled, and we laughed (well, except for when were were in the bathroom).
On our way home, Taylor said, "You were really good today, Mommy!" Ouch. Humbled, I was, by the 5-year-old in the booster seat behind me. How awful do I seem to my children on a regular basis when I get told that I've finally had a good day? So I said to her, "Thanks, Tay, you were good, too. What does it mean that I did good today?"
"You didn't even fart once, Mom!"
And we're back. Happy Easter, Mommies!
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