Thursday, December 11, 2008

Noelle's prayer

I know I've pretty much just been talking about the funny things the other people in my family do (or embarrassing things that happen to you if your Josh) but I have another one. 

Today Noelle, Madeline, and I were in the car and we were taking lunch to Josh. Noelle and I had been talking and then it was quiet for a minute until I hear Noelle's slightly lowered voice. She starts out, in the cutest little voice mind you, "Jesus, could you please give me a little brother? And could you have Zoe come over to my house again cause she had to leave? And can you make all the birds fly away?" 

I think I held my breath the whole time she was talking so I wouldn't miss anything she said! It nearly brought me to tears the way she was talking to Jesus...like she knew he was right there listening to her and caring about all the things she was thinking about. Even though I heard what she said I had to ask her about it. When I asked what she was talking to Jesus about she said the first two things and when she said the third about wanting the birds to fly away I asked her why. She said that the birds need to fly away so that the cars don't hit them. I don't think I would have ever thought to pray about that but it was obviously on her mind. 

Sigh...those are the moments you live for as a parent I think. The sound of my little daughter talking to Jesus on her own without any prompting is just priceless. These are the moments I want so badly to remember so that when she is 13 and maybe annoyed with her little brother, I can tell her "I remember when we were in the car when you were three and you asked Jesus for a little brother".  Sigh...will Noelle really be 13 someday? That made me kind of sad and excited all at the same time. Sad to think of my little girl not being so little but excited to see her grow up to be a young woman and the relationship we have continuing to deepen.  Those last few sentences got a few tears out of me. I think I've been working too hard : )

5 comments:

Jessica said...

You do work really hard, by the way. :-)

And Noelle is so sweet--what a beautiful prayer! And her heart is so sweet to think about those birds' safety!

jason j said...

That is so adorable... I hope that her prayer can come true soon :)

for the record, when we get Zoe to pray for people, she will often pray for Noelle too.. It blesses us so much that they're such good friends..

Anonymous said...

....who IS this child we like to call Noelle?? Christine I so admire the mother you are to your girls.

christine said...

Jess - thanks for the shout out for working hard : ) I really loved the bird prayer as well, she really is a thoughtful little girl.

Jason - she really was so sad the next day after Zoe was here that Zoe had to leave. She was doing her "I'm never going to get to see Zoe again" thing : )

Erin - thank you for your kind words...and sometimes I wonder the same thing about Noelle...I'll really look at her intently and think "who are you"? sounds weird but not in a mean way...like taking a second out of the busyness to stop and really see her.

Susan Marie said...

Christine, I'm reading this while we are up in Boston. So sorry I took Zoe away from her friend for the weekend! We miss you and your wonderful family.