Cabbages and Roots

Several months ago, my blondie/blue-eyed freckled face "sunshine" boy, aka SPENCER, came home from school crying his little eyes out.  He was given a cabbage plant at school and told to go home and plant it in a garden.  Whichever student cared for their plant and grew the largest cabbage, would win a $1500 scholarship from the nursery who donated the plants.  Well, he kinda misunderstood the "scholarship" part and thought he could win $1500 for himself. :)    What happened was that on the school bus, his friend bumped him and broke off several of the leaves.  He said it wasn't a very leafy plant to begin with, like his friends' plants were.  So, when he realized that his plant was just basically a stem, he got upset and threw it down the street. 

After he told me the story, I made him jump back in our car and we went to rescue the cabbage plant.  I told him that if the plant still had its roots, it could grow into a beautiful plant someday.  It would be a little behind the other kids' plants, but it would still grow.  So, after hunting for this small plant, strewn along the road, we found the stem and sure enough----there were some roots left.  So, we went home and planted that little stem in our garden. 

It was a great teaching moment for me to explain to Spencer that this little plant is like US.  Sometimes we may get bumped around in life and get hurt by others or get discouraged by something that didn't go our way.  We may feel, at times, that our leaves are getting torn off.  But, if our roots are still in tact----our roots being "ties" to our Father in Heaven and our earthly family who loves us, then we will be ok.  With food, water, and lots of love, we will grow big and strong---just like this cabbage plant will.  Spencer was hopeful but I could see a lot of doubt in his eyes.  That little plant was pathetic looking!  I'm sure he thought, "yeah right, Mom---like this thing is going to grow?"  But Spencer has a lot of faith and he and I checked on that plant every week. 

Well, a few months later we went outside and here is what our cabbage plant looks like today!

There are three cabbages growing inside that huge plant.  Wow!

Hailey loves to play with Rolie Polie bugs!

They tickle her arms and she giggles like crazy!