A Father and His Son

This morning, Dane had a MAJOR meltdown getting ready to go to Teda's school. The morning started out great, until he tried on these new socks I got him. They were ankle socks, and he didn't like them. So I said that's okay, we'll take them back and get some other ones. He didn't want me to take them back, and said that he still wanted them. Knowing that he wouldn't wear them if I said okay, I held firm that we were going to return them. Thus begins the major meltdown. It was all downhill (or should I say uphill) from there. Everything upset him to where he was just screaming in the car "I don't wanna go! I don't wanna go!" I pulled over to call Zach for backup. He wasn't sure what to doe either. I was already going to be late to volunteer for Teda's school, and I knew he'd be nothing short of a handful if I put him in the playroom. When he gets to this point of a meltdown (it's not often because he's usually a pretty happy go lucky kid), not much will help him. It's really only time that helps. And I didn't know what to do!

So I'm just driving to school, and I prayed for help. Teda and Jett were such breaths of fresh air- I love how that happens. When one is totally having trouble, usually the other two are wonderful. Zach said maybe I could just hold him and tell him I love him and it's going to be okay. I told him there wasn't time for that, but maybe in the parking lot at school I could. I just kept saying that I loved him, and that everything was going to be okay. To which he replied, "IT'S NOT GOING TO BE OKAY!!!" over and over. Then I thought (now looking back I know without a doubt that it was God answering my plea for help- brings tears to my eyes at what a wonderful, personal God we have), maybe I could drop him off at Zach's work on my way to school. Then he could give him love, hold him, tell him it will be okay, and take him to school when he's more calm. So I called, and Zach said to bring him on over. He was waiting outside the office building, and calmly swooped him out of his car seat, and they walked hand in hand towards the prayer hill. (It's a hill on our church property that has a cross at the top- people climb it a lot and use it as a place to go and pray, and think) Then the kids and I headed to school. I just have to say that it was so incredible to watch my husband, the leader of our home, who is devoted and committed to living a life that is pleasing to Christ and that is an example to us, it was one of the neatest things I've ever seen. It made my spirit do flips- I don't know how else to describe it. It was just knowing that our son was having a really hard time, didn't think everything would be okay, and his daddy came to him and swooped him up, calmly walked with him and said he really only spoke probably about 5 words to him. When they got to the top of the hill, he just held Dane. No words were needed. And he calmed down, and stopped crying. Dane knew that yes everything will be okay. He is loved. I just can't describe it, knowing I have a husband who would do that, and my kids are blessed to have a daddy who would model just what our Heavenly Father does for us, it's so awesome. It's true- that's exactly what Jesus does for me when I'm hurting. And Dane gets to know that is how life works. We can't always have what we think we want or need (socks and then on the way to seeing Zach it was his blanket)... because that's not always what is best for us. But everything will always be okay, even when we're crying so hard we can't see straight. And we're screaming, "NO, IT'S NOT GOING TO BE OKAY" to God. He calmly tells us, yes it will be okay. I promise it will. And He holds us. And He walks with us. And we just know that He's there and He loves us. This is a memory that I never want to forget. I wish I had a camera to get a picture of them walking off together, Dane just sobbing and feeling so hopeless, and Zach looking so strong and so loving.

And Teda was trying to figure out why Dane got to be with Daddy and she couldn't stay. I explained that Dane has had a very hard morning, and he needed his daddy. Sometimes a big hug from our daddy is just what we need. And today, that is just what Dane needed- and just what he got.

After school was over, I went to pick up Jett, and Dane was waiting there for me too- all smiles. I was so happy to see him.

God, You are SO good.

Here's a picture I took the other night after dinner of the two of them together.