Amen.

Today was a very full day. We gathered with family and friends at my in-laws house for some delicious food, and lots of loud, enthusiastic conversation. Laughter, good natured arguments and screaming children abounded. And Leilani, who is fighting her third little cold in a row, skipped her nap. Beautiful, exhausting chaotic fun.

On the car ride home, we did bedtime. Reviewing her day, we retouched on all the highlights, and she enthusiastically babbled about all of her favorite people. "Thatha! babblesomething Athai uh UncleKenny!! Chithi! Grama!" And on. Then came time for prayer. We told her to fold her hands, and then she exclaimed "MONKEY pray!" And she folded the hands of the monkey on her lap. Usually, we help her pray word by word, but tonight we told her to help her monkey pray. There was a pause, and then

"Dear Hethenly FADDAH! Thankyoo for thisday... mumble... Thankyoofor thisDAY! In Yeesus nam, AMEN!"

And she prayed her first prayer, all by herself. A few minutes later there was some more "hethenlyfaddah!" (Heavenly Father)s thrown in with a lot of babbling about her "Chithi and uncle Kenny and Athai" and a few quiet amens.

Ryan and I are so proud, of our little lady who is learning to love prayer. I am thankful for the examples that my mother and father were to me growing up. Their intimate and meaningful way of talking to the Lord have been an extraordinary blessing. I pray that through Ryan and I, the Lord will allow this blessing to pass to Leilani as well.

Every day she learns something new that we have taught her. Sometimes those lessons are intentional, sometimes they are not. It is sobering to realize how much she picks up everyday. What a responsibility it is to be a little person's parents. But on nights like tonight, what a blessing it is to see a happy lesson being learned!