Lucy has the kind of personality that doesn’t color outside of the lines. I’m embarrassed to admit that she gets this from me. Recently she has developed this disturbing habit of asking me if I still love her whenever she breaks the rules. I have racked my brain trying to figure out where this comes from, if I’ve said something or reacted a certain way, but all I can think is that this is just part of her personality. So, lately I’ve been doing a lot of reassuring and explaining that there is nothing she could ever do to make me not love her. I just laid my precious angel down to sleep tonight and this is the conversation we had.

Me: Lucy, you know I love you? and that I’m proud of you?
Lucy: Why?
Me: Why am I proud of you?
Lucy: Hmm-mm
Me: Well, you’re a good big-sister and you’re sweet and kind, and smart and you listen and obey mommy and daddy.
Lucy: but sometimes I don’t obey you
Me: Well, yes, but you always try to
Lucy: but sometimes I don’t follow the rules
Me: Well everybody has problems following the rules sometimes. Everybody starts the day trying to obey the rules, whether it is the rules their mommy and daddy made or God’s rules. And everybody breaks the rules sometimes — even mommy and daddy.
Lucy: You break God’s rules?
Me: Sometimes. The important thing to remember is that no matter what you do mommy and daddy will always love you and God will always love you
Lucy: Does God take people away when they die?
Me: yes, he takes them to heaven with him
Lucy: What is heaven?
Me: It’s where God lives. It’s a nice place filled with love
Lucy: does it have sand?
Me: I don’t know – maybe
Lucy: I saw a picture of God at church and he didn’t have a mustache or beard like daddy and he was standing on sand. I think there is sand in heaven.
Me: Well, you’re probably right.