yes, that was my child

In case you happened to be at our church tonight for the Ash Wednesday dinner and service, yes, that was my child who...

• ate an entire piece of cake.
• picked up salt and pepper shakers off the tables and shook them the entire way to the kitchen counter as she "helped" put them away.
• was so enthusiastic about holding her friend Lyla's (a new walker) hand that she accidentally dragged her to the ground several times.
• went back and forth from baby Freddie to baby Kyle, rocking them in their carseats and kissing their feet and hands.
• was brought into the church service by her parents at the time she's usually being tucked into bed.
• announced during the service several times that her diaper was poopy, even though it wasn't.
• looked on with horror as her mommy recieved ashes on her forehead.
• completely freaked out when the pastor attempted to impose ashes on her own forehead.
• cried, "Noooooo! Nooooo! Nooooo" in reaction to the ashes as her mother recieved holy communion and walked calmly up the aisle and out of the sanctuary.
• buried her face in her mommy's shoulder, sobbing.
• looked up occasionally, only to again see the ashes on mommy's forehead and start crying again.
• wouldn't even watch as mommy went to the bathroom and washed the ashes off.
• begged to go home.
• commanded her daddy to wash the ashes "off" the moment she saw him.
• looked in horror after the servce at everyone who had ashes on their foreheads.
• breathed a sigh of relief when we got in the car.
• went to bed without so much as a peep.

It's going to be a long night, I'm sure. It always is when she's been up way past her bedtime. But at least I can plan ahead, and know I'll likely end up sleeping with her most of the night. I don't mind.