Words of 4 year olds

Sometimes the words of Emma Grace just make me smile from ear to ear. Last night while her daddy and I were praying with her before bedtime, Emma Grace prayed, "Dear Lord, thank you for my mommy, my daddy, and my baby brother Jase. I just love Jase so much, Lord, and I thank you that he is in our lives. I thank you for taking care of him. I wouldn't want anything to happen to him. In Jesus' name, Amen." Jason and I just smiled at each other after it was over. It was one of those moments where the world is at peace. It was late (10:00pm) and she and her daddy had been at the skeet shoot since 4pm (Jase and I joined them after naptime in time for dinner at 7pm). She was worn out and had been running around the Harkins' yard after dinner with her brother, so maybe that's why he was fresh on her mind and in her prayers.

I have noticed lately that she's been very protective of Jase. When I walked with them out to the mailbox the other day, Jase wanted to walk further down the dirt road to the other side of our semicircle driveway. Of course. My little explorer! WELL, that was not a good idea according to Emma Grace. She was SCREAMING, "NOOOO, MOMMY, NOOO....don't let him walk down the road, NOOOO! What if a car is coming?!!!" I assured her that mommy is watching for cars and wouldn't let anything happen to Jase. We did have to move off the dirt road onto our grass because there was a truck coming not long after that...and these people going down our road go WAY too fast! Her little momma instinct is already at work! :)

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On another occasion just a few minutes ago before Sunday afternoon naptime, I was cleaning off the table from dinner and Emma Grace and her daddy went in the livingroom and began folding the laundry that had been sitting there on the couch since last night. I knew this was going on and I really appreciated their help since I was still cleaning off the 4 placemats from where they had helped to make messes. Folding laundry is one of the few chores that she still likes to help me do (used to be that she liked helping to dust and vacuum, but now it's just folding laundry and mopping the kitchen floor).

The funny part was when she came in the kitchen while I was still putting away containers in the fridge and said, "Mommy, Daddy and I folded your laundry. Wasn't that nice?" Oh yes, mommy, is more than appreciative that you helped to fold MY laundry. MY laundry. MY laundry....it resounded in my head. The M.Y. part. Now, I know she's only 4 years old, but I assured her that mommy was so glad they helped to fold my 3 shirts ('cause that's ALL that was mine in the stack! no kidding!). I asked her if she and her daddy helped to fold her laundry and Jase's laundry and Daddy's laundry? She kinda looked at me funny and said, "Uh huh." I told her, "Thank you for helping to do our FAMILY'S laundry." We all appreciate it! And, yes, I do appreciate any little bit of help. Hopefully she'll one day grow to understand that laundry is not just mommy's job to do. Just like clearing the table, unloading the dishwasher, making beds, dusting, vacuuming, mopping, mowing the lawn, cooking dinner, etc. are all things our FAMILY enjoys the benefits of and must help to take care of. Bless her little heart...wonder where she learned that it's all MOMMY'S laundry?