It's Starting to Stick

  Liam is a sponge of knowledge and habit. He'd developing amazing routines and learning so much everyday. He's really developed a love for reading, he's always loved books but now he loves learning about what he's reading. If we read a book about polar bears, he wants to learn about their families, their home, how they feel, see pictures and watch movies all about them. its so inspiring to be around a little person who has so much desire to learn. I've found that I've learned a lot in the process. But what's really impressed Chad and I is the way he has started to really understand things. Especially eternal principles. Of course, it's satisfying to see him piece together why its important to share or how it makes someone feel when we exclude them but it's down right magical when he comes to the conclusion that Jesus is our brother or that we lived in heaven before this life or my favorite, that we have a Heavenly Father who loves us and watches over us.

Here are a few of our favorite moments with Liam this week.

Liam woke up from a nap, a little disoriented and with a serious case of motormouth. As soon as I opened the door we shot up in his crib and started explaining to me that he has a heavenly father who loves him and watches over him. And that Jesus was with him and that Jesus lived and died for us (Straight out of his favorite Easter book we read each Sunday). I agreed with everything he said and gave him some tight squeezes. He said "Mama, you love Jesus?" I said "As much as I love you!", he then said "Is he your special boy too?" I laughed and said, "Yeah, he's my special brother"

We learn through music in the Merrell home. If its a Daniel Tiger song, helping us transition to a new activity or teaching us to be patient and kind, or if its a primary song reminding us of the purpose of prayer, or helping us understand our identity as children of God, or a nursery song, putting us to sleep, waking us up or making us laugh on long car rides.....we sing all day long. Surprisingly I had never sang 'Jesus wants me for a Sunbeam' until a few nights ago. I sang it to cheer Liam up when he woke up crying from a nap, I thought he'd like to see his overweight mom, jumping up and down with each "beam". I sang it once, the tears were gone and we moved on with our day. The following day, I felt the ground shake in our little double-wide as Liam jumped up and down with all his might, singing "Jesus wants me for a Sunbeam"...word for word, completely memorized. We listen to childrens Songbook CDs in the car but never the one that has the Sunbeam song so I know he's only heard it that one time. If memorization skills are off the charts, and I love being surprised with what he's able to absorb.

  We were watching Star wars Episode 2 ( I had to ask Chad which one it was because if you know me that you know I have a deep hatred for the star wars, but it was Chads turn to choose the movie so my hands were tied) At one point Obi Wan is bound in a floating restraint and Count Dooku is talking to him. We got Liam up from his nap and he walked into the front room, looked at the TV for a moment and with an excited look in his eyes pointed to the floating, glowing, bearded Obi Wan and said, "Mama, it's Jesus!" Chad and I held back laugher as we explained that while he looks like Jesus, he wasn't Him. Before we could finish validating his thoughts, he looked on as Count Dooku entered and Liam insisted, "But mama, look, it's Abinadi too!" This time we couldn't hold back the laughter. in his defense, both characters deeply resembled Jesus and Abinadi ....but with more light sabers.

   We were watching the Lion King (that Liam calls 'The Tiger King') for family movie night this last weekend and we came to the part where Simba realizes that Mufasa has died (saddest part of the movie!) Liam seemed confused so I tried to explain death, as age appropriately as I could. We've talked about it before in reference to the plan of happiness but it's never seemed to stick. I said 'Simba is sad because his dada died, so his body doesn't work anymore and his spirit returned to live with Heavenly Father." Liam thought it through for a second and said "so he's sleepin?", 'No Liam, he died." I tried to keep things light but I wasn't sure how much was clicking...until he said, "His dada died? We better get him some new batteries."
I'm grateful he's not ready for that talk yet, we'll keep working on it :)

  We were reading scriptures and Liam has gotten to the point with our Book of Mormon childrens book where he can recite the stories and we start them for him. We were reading the end of a story that explained that the people were blessed as they kept the commandments and Liam recited the last sentence in its entirety. After he finished I said, "That's right Liam, we must keep the commandments, what does it mean to keep a commandments?" (I more so asked the question to introduce the thought and to prompt him to ask us what it meant)  but he chimed back and promptly answered, " It's when we listen to Heavenly Father." My jaw dropped. Where did he learn that, was it from us? It wasn't from Nursery (our leaders are less then invested to put it kindly). Was it the scripture stories? Was he just able to piece it together. Either way, it made my mom heart melt. I know there's more to commandments than that, but for my two year old, I was more than satisfied with his understanding.

Watching a testimony grow is perhaps the greatest, most sacred blessing I've received from my Heavenly Father as a parent. It gives you this feeling that confirms the eternal importance of your job here and just puts everything into a perfect heavenly perspective.