---Bragging Rights---

I'm so in love with my family. Laura was grounded for four days after coming home late from an outing with her friends. Grounding means no visitors, no phone calls, no computer except for homework, no video games, and lots of extra chores. She was given various tasks around the house and actually performed them cheerfully and with what Mike called "a good attitude." I later learned that with each "Yes," and with each smile came a price. Our little clever one had hatched a plan where yes, she may be grounded, but she would be able to say she thwarted the system and exacted revenge. She got me a glass of orange juice at my request. It was a tall glass so it took me a while to realize there was salt at the bottom. Salted OJ. Yum. Thanks a lot for that. Then when Mike made dinner that night, I just had to ask him, "Did you put sugar in the mashed potatoes?" "No," he said, he'd made them according to the recipe which called for salt, not sugar. (duh!) A few bites and a few minutes later I asked, "Where did you get the salt for the mashed potatoes?" Hmmmmm. The salt in the shaker above the stove had turned into sugar! Now when the girls ask what's for dessert, we say, "Mashed potatoes!" Later the four of us went for a walk and the girls stopped at each honeysuckle bush for a treat of nectar, just as I did as a child. They brought a honeysuckle flower to Mike to taste, and he said, "Hmmmm, yum. Tastes kind of like mashed potatoes!" Then he chased Laura and she ran for her life. Sometimes she is Mischief personified...a little gremlin. Good thing she's so darn cute.

Another scenario: Alison the angel. Mike had been looking forward to an ice cream cone all day. After dinner he asked who wanted to join him at the corner "general store" for a treat. I declined. Laura accepted and Alison did too, but she had a friend over so they had to get permission from her parents. Her mom said no. Alison decided to stay home because if her friend couldn't have ice cream she was not going to eat it in front of her or send her home, because she's cool like that. She made like it was no big deal, but if you know Alison you know how she craves sweets! Mike recognized her sacrifice and instead of him and Laura getting cones, they brought home a half gallon of ice cream so Alison could have some when her friend went home. We praised her for being Christ-like. I'm sometimes amazed at the depth of her character.

Thank you, Lord, for blessed moments like these.