Gabe has somehow wandered into the realm of the terrible twos and life, at least for the parents, has never been the same. I have absolutely no idea exactly how and when this happened but it beginnings can be traced to somewhere after he turned 18 months. Someone once told me that the terrible twos do not begin when the toddler turns two and neither do they vanish on his third birthday. So the last few months have been an increasingly challenging journey for the parents, and especially me as the main caregiver.
Life with Gabe can be sooooo trying at times, there are days that poor derod returns from a hard day's work to a grouchy wife and a difficult child. But today, oh today, was glorious! Gabe was the most obedient, cooperative, amusing, polite little boy throughout the day. Today, being around him was pure joy and it magically erased the effects accumulated from all those months of horror.
On top of that, we had these two bits of conversations that stuck with me.
I was showing Gabe some pictures of him as an infant and pointed out someone who is in need of prayer. After describing the situation in simple language, and reiterating that we should pray for this person, Gabe put his hands together and said the only prayer he knows. "Thank you Jesus for xxx..." He hung on the last few words while looking at me for further direction and after giving him a few helping words, we closed the prayer in Jesus' name. I was shocked! I didn't expect a response, and one that required him to dig into his reserve of capabilities and fish out something that was closest to the situation and apply it. You see, the only prayer Gabe knows is the prayer at meal times; he says his own grace at milk/ meal times so it's the only one he can fall back on. But it was the gesture of him praying for someone that really touched me. Derod and I hope that he will be a boy who grows up to embrace the Father in prayer and to keep others in prayer too.
The other conversation took place after lunch. I was peeling one of two oranges for us to share and he was holding on to the other. After some rough handling, I reminded him that he should be gentle with the fruit and be careful not to drop or throw it off his tray. At one point, he got so carried away he actually threw the orange on the dining table, upsetting some utensils. Sternly but gently, I repeated my instructions (makes you wonder why mothers become naggy). He read the expressions on my face and the tone of my voice and concluded, "Cannot throw orange. Mummy upset. Kiss mummy happy."
?!?!?!?!??!?!??!?
Well, it was a wonderful day. Enjoy it while it lasts, cheoklet, even though it's only for one day.
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