I was talking to our friend Hector, the person who was most instrumental, second to Loverpants, in guiding me through my conversion experience (from US measurements to metrics, of course).  I was sharing with him how I am struggling to orient Baby Girl to the church environment.  It's difficult on many levels, especially because sabbath is a longish day experience and worship doesn't really accommodate the toddler's activity level.  I was telling Hector how frustrated I was because it seemed like No One was hearing the full message, e.g. the sermon in its entirety because Loverpants and I were working so hard to corral Baby Girl, taking turns stepping into the Cry Room and never really getting the full download. Hector reminded me that our roles have shifted now.  We are parents trying to minister to our daughter's heart, yes.  But we are also just laying the foundations for worship, for a religious experience.  He reminded me that Jesus said, "Let the children come to me."  And yet for so many months, I have been the one shushing and holding back and clotheslining my kid from coming to know church as a place that loves children.

I am so glad that Jesus loves kids in all their unadulterated whimsy.

Like this one, for example.

She loves to play shaving cream table.

And then she loves to scratch her nose.

And use her pants in lieu of paper towel.

Wait, don't touch that --

Oh how I love those shaving cream hugs.