"...Doesn't Have a Mommy"

Lately, whenever Ezra sees someone or something that looks sad or scary, he'll comment on it. "Mommy, look at that girl. She's so sad." "Mommy, look at the scary owl! He's mean and scary!"
Perhaps it started because I sometimes asked, "oh? why do you think she's sad?" or "why is he mean?" but Ezra has started offering his explanation of why said person/thing is sad or scary.

Because they miss their mommy.

"Why is the girl sad?" "Because she doesn't have a mommy and she needs one."

"Why is the owl scary?" "Because he misses his mommy."

We went to the "castle park" (at Fort Steilacoom) today and while Seth made some phone calls in the car, I pushed Ezra and Isaac in the swings. There is a mural painted onto several tiles and framed in the fence around the swing set. It's supposed to be of a dragon, but Ezra always thinks it's a sea horse. A sad, scary Mommy sea horse.

See the "sea horse" to the left of Isaac?

Why is the Mommy sea horse sad? Because she needs to have her kids and she misses them.

It is adorable and flattering... and also heartbreaking.

When we have these conversations, I do sometimes think of Ana and miss her - especially for Seth and Ezra and Isaac's sake. But, more selfishly, I also think of how devastated I would be if anything would happen to my precious children. And then I pray for their safety, yes, but also for my ability to firmly entrust them to their Heavenly Father who loves them ever so much more than I do.