Sometimes when I listen to the words coming out of my mouth as I discipline I have to laugh... like Friday as I heard myself say "No mudballs in the car." This crushed my four year old. I had to entreat her to lovingly setting it in a bucket.  Doubtfully she questioned if this would work because she said "what if someone who might bring us cookies and see the mudball might want to keep it." To allay her fears I heard myself say "No one is going to steal the mudball" She had to go off her faith in my words, no matter how absurd they sounded to her and I.

Then we were off, sans meatball loading in to the car.

This loved mudball was indeed there when we returned. Sadly though it was seen as prized and thoughtlessly squished my big sister Love's foot. In her defense she had not been around for our faith building dialogue of the boundaries one has to set when dealing with a mudball and its right to drive in the car.