"Coming Back"

In November when Jackie had to have hip replacement surgery, we sent Natalie to my parents house in Arp, TX to spend the week with them. This was a great time for her and my parents to spend together and I know she got spoiled and loved on like never before. However, she was a little hesitant to say goodbye to Chris and I as we were leaving her much like any toddler would do. My parents live in a VERY small town of under 1,000 people and they live about 1 block from the train tracks where trains pass through nearly every 20 minutes or so. Now while I was growing up, this was so annoying to me because you would hear the train whistle even in the "wee hours of the morning" and in the middle of the night. I grew accustom to it eventually but it took some time to get used to. On the day Chris and I left to go back to Conroe, as we were leaving a train passed by and my mom and dad were able to distract Natalie by taking her into the front lawn to look at the train, count the cars, describe the colors of the cars, etc. while Chris and I escaped so to speak.

Come to find out during that entire week that she stayed with my parents she grew to LOVE trains and wanted to go out in the lawn and watch them go by EVERY time they came through town. My poor parents were exhausted by the end of the week. But the clever idea brought forth by my mom was when Natalie would start to fuss and ask for mommy and daddy, Gigi would tell her "Mommy and Daddy are coming back, just like the train". Natalie then understood that like the train, mommy would come back. When we got her home after Thanksgiving and took her to MDO or Sunday School she would tell her teachers "mommy/ daddy coming back". She STILL does this when we are not home and she asks Gigi Jackie where we are.

So as we are approaching the arrival of Baby Luke into the family, I have been prepping Natalie but telling her she will have a brother, she needs to be a big girl and help mommy and daddy, and other things as well. When we do our bedtime story and prayer time, she thanks God for "Baby Brother Luke" and kisses my belly and tells him she loves him. It is adorable and melts my heart each night.

Over Spring Break, Natalie started to say "I want to go and get Luke". I had to stop and tell her that she cant GO AND GET HIM and that he would be here after a few short months. She then immediately said "He's coming back". I couldn't help but chuckle a little bit as she said this. She really is a smart little girl. Every night since then after she says her prayers and kisses him goodnight, she will say "I want to go get him" and "He's coming back".

Don't worry Natalie, he will be here in a few short months! I am sure after a few months of him being here, you will not be saying that at all!

God is Good.. ALL THE TIME!