Precious Gems

Thanks to all who shared their kids' quotes with me and gave permission to include them here and on the blog!

When our 6 year old granddaughter's family visited us recently, Ryan Elizabeth's very long naturally curly hair was completely straight and several inches shorter.  Although I certainly loved her curls, I told her it looked nice and asked what happened to her curls.  Ryan replied, "Oh, I got a short cut and the lady put jam on my hair."  She meant "gel!" ~ Lois

Waiting to get Malakai's hair cut. Little boy asks him if we are his parents. Malakai (5) says: "Yes, I'm chocolate. They vanilla. We're the same."   Little boy laughs ~ Danielle in Alabama

I love the innocence of children. When passing a cemetery, Brooklyn said, "Momma! Yook! Pretty flowers...dey pop up out of floor! I yike dat place. It's boootiful...yike magic."~ Lauren in Virginia

We took baby Joshua to the doctor this morning for his 5-day weight check. While sitting in the waiting room, Benjamin states the facts.
"Baby Joshua is sleeping, Mama. No more waa waa waa. He's fine, Mama. He's fine."
Lol I love them so much. And I love car seats...and sleep ~ Heather in Virginia

I babysit for a very smart 3-year-old. This week we were at our church sewing circle and he came up to me and said, "God wants us to share." I nodded, smiled, and thought to myself that he was really getting it ... until he continued, "She isn't sharing that car." ~ Catherine in Indiana

Malakai (5): "Know what, if you play in the sun and you put your fingers and toes in it, they will burn up like hot lava...if you eat the moon your teeth will get really cold..." ~ Danielle in Alabama 

Me (after shamelessly sniffing my 3-year-old's feet...NO JUDGING!): "Your toes don't stink!"
Julianne: "Don't worry. They will tomorrow."
She is her father's daughter. ~ Jennifer in Virginia

Things said at my house this morning:
"Merry Christmas, Mom! Your legs are so jiggly!"
and (child looking out at snow...) "I feel so sorry for cats and dogs. They are colorblind, you know. What if they think snow is purple?" ~ Beth in Ohio

Brooklyn: "Look Sis, it's Santa!"
Savannah (6): "I don't think that's Santa. He is holding a fishing pole."
Brooklyn: "Him is Santa! Him have beard!"
Savannah: "A beard doesn't make him Santa. He is probably off of Duck Dynasty." ~ Lauren in Virginia

Savannah (6): "Me and Karis are friends. She's different from me cause she's shy and quiet and I'm not. I'm a chatterbox. So that kind of makes us perfect friends. She lets me do all the talking." ~ Lauren in Virginia

Eva (7) was cold and told me chickenpox had popped out all over her skin. ~ Elizabeth in Virginia

Eva (7) was singing “Away in a Manger” (by the way, that is just a weird title if you think about it. We don’t put our babies “away” do we?) Anyhow, she was singing the first verse at our Christmas play, and then the entire children’s choir would sing the other verses. When she started the second verse, when she practiced here at home,  she would sing these words, “The cattle are glowing, the baby is growing…” which might be accurate, if a host of angels were to appear again. ~ Elizabeth in Virginia

After listening to "All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth," Melody (4) turns to me and says (in total seriousness), "Mama, when I get bigger and my two front teeth fall out at Christmas time, that is not all I'M going to want for Christmas." ~ Rosie in Central Asia

Amiya (5): "Mommy, why'd you say we are Jesus' leapers?"
Me: "I don't think I said that."
Amiya persistent I did.
Me: "I said we are His sheep and He is our Shepherd."
Amiya: "Oh yeah, that was it." ~ Danielle in Alabama

Samara (4) living in Montana was SO excited to have her grandparents from Pennsylvania visiting for several weeks!  She said to her Mamaw, "I am so glad you are here!  You are going to stay for one hundred million days!" ~ Nancy in Pennsylvania

Today I tucked Samara (4) in her bed for an afternoon nap before a busy evening at church.  She laid down but immediately sat up and hugged me, saying, "I love you, Mamaw."  How wonderful for a grandmother to hear those words!  Then she asked me if I would sleep in her room...I could sleep in Sissy's bed.  I told her that there was no room for me because Sissy has so many stuffed animals on her bed.  Samara said, "It doesn't matter. Just throw everything off!" ~ Nancy in Pennsylvania

Today I was wrapping Christmas presents.  Later this evening we were sitting on the sofa next to the Christmas tree when my granddaughter, Samara (4), began looking at the presents under the tree.  She said, "Who is that one for?"  I said "Well, I guess we will have to wait till Christmas morning and find out."  To which she responded, "Well, what about that little one?"  I said again, "We will find out Christmas morning."  She said to me, "You are the one who wrapped the presents and you don't know who they are for?"  She seemed frustrated that I couldn't tell her who the recipients are! ~ Nancy in Pennsylvania 

God has blessed me with a child who has a very understanding and tender heart.  She has never been shy about knowing about death and what it means for a non-believer or a believer.   She is very concerned for those who are not saved and joyful for those who are.  Now, I understand that she has a child’s faith and understanding, which at times I want to have more of a childlike faith.

Tonight she was so tender to a dear friend of ours who is in really bad health.  Autumn Rose (4) crawled up beside her and got real close to her face and softly said to her “Ganny, you don’t have to hold on any more.  Just let go and go to Jesus.  He is waiting for you and when you get to him he will make you totally well.  Just go to him.  Its okay if you do.”  She patted her face and hopped down.

I’m blessed to be this child’s Mama and it is only by the Grace of God that she has such a tender heart towards others. ~ Mary in Virginia