Little Men

Back at the beginning of the school year, my oldest nephew and I were riding home from a family outing together.  I get a kick out of the fact that my niece and nephews view riding in my small (usually less than orderly) car as a special treat.  On one such night, Clark was talking a mile a minute as we drove home about the things passing by his window.  It was no easy feat keeping him quiet when we made a brief ten minute stop at the perpetual adoration chapel on the way back to the house. 

It was Clark's first time in this chapel and he, who was a little over 4 years old at that time, wanted to touch and ask about everything he saw.  He was particularly enthralled with the serpent under Mary's foot that was eye level for him as we knelt and prayed by the statue. 

After leaving the chapel, we passed a dog running alongside the road.  Clark asked where the dog was going to which I responded it didn't look like he had a collar and he might be lost.  I suggested we say a quick prayer asking God and St. Francis of Assisi to keep the dog safe from harm.  A few minutes later, I had to use the brakes hard as we came to a sudden stop to allow two large deer cross our path.  Then, one light away from our driveway, we saw another dog trotting down the highway.  As we parked the car, Clark asked if we could say a prayer for the other animals we had seen on our drive to keep them all safe.  How sweet he is!

Day 3:  Moments with the little men in my life, such as what I just described with Clark last fall, or when unpacking last week with the help of my youngest NC nephew, Nick, make me happy!