My Magic Man!

It was a hard morning. Sunday mornings usually are. Getting everyone ready for the day is typical, but throwing myself into the "get ready" mix, and adding the extra pomp of church clothes always seems to create a underlying layer of complication. People, especially those over 30, are more rushed and more grouchy. Unfortunately, that attitude stayed with me today as I walked into church. I gave looks of death and threatened horrible fates in dark and sinister tones as we entered the pew and sat down. My brood sat quietly, in fear for their very lives.

During the passing of the Sacrament, the most reverent and sacred moment of our entire Sunday service, Spencer leaned over and tugged urgently on my sleeve. I looked down and could instantly see by the look in his eyes, extreme excitement and delight. My initial thought was "where is the ice cream, or the puppy, or Ben?" I leaned over until my ear was in whisper range of his little grinning mouth.

"Holy crap, Mom, you aren't gonna believe this!" (I must interject here by apologizing for his irreverent and inappropriate language, that he most assuredly picked up from me.) "I am totally magic. I promise I am, I am."

He was nearly convulsing with excitement at this point, and I was actually concerned that he might forget his whispers and shout out, at which point I would be forced to throttle him in public. I hushed him gently, wrapped my arm around him, to keep him from blasting off and leaned in closer.

"Mom, mom, mom...when I close my eyes I make the lights turn off." He interpreted my stare as amazement...he interpreted incorrectly. "I know, it's awesome, huh? And, and, and...the lights turn back on when I open my eyes." He sat back from me then, folded his arms across his chest proudly and waited for my "Hallelujah!"

I stared at him for a moment longer, wondering how this innocent babe would ever survive the California public school system and then I burst into a silent spree of laughter. Tears rolled down my cheeks and my shoulders shook. To an onlooker I may have simply looked VERY repentant. I was a little repentant but mostly I was tickled. He was pleased that he brought me so much joy and hugged me hard and long. My spirits lifted and the rest of the day has been great.

I guess Spencer is a little bit magic after all.