“I need to teach you something, Madre. Now!”
I notice the twinkle in 5-year-old Neville’s eyes and I figure he’s found a spider, or another grub, and wants to teach me how to hold it without squirming . . . . or screaming.
“After dinner,” I promise my adorable irascible grandson. Eleven of us are seated around my daughter and son-in-law’s deck table, celebrating summer and bbqing and family.
Three minutes later: “Madre, please. I want to teach you something.”
“As soon as I help clear the dishes,” I say to hold him off. The other adults around the table shoot me sympathetic glances. Neville is known for his love of Lego lectures, Go Fish card marathons, and arm wrestling matches.
Four minutes later: “Madre! Now!”
Neville grabs my hand and pulls me into the house, past the kitchen, and on to a darkened hallway. I inhale. Boy things. What’s he going to show me? A new karate kick? A grasshopper stuck in a plastic container? How to hold a lobster?
Instead, the young boy sinks gracefully to the floor in one motion, legs crossed, elbows bent on his knees, thumb and index finger curled in the yogic position of letting go.
“This is called the Lotus,” he whispers with reverence. The twinkle in his eyes has become downright spiritual. “Breathe In. Breathe Out.”
The 5-year-old watches me with one eye open, the other closed in solemn serenity. “Namaste,” he intones.
“Namaste,” I agree.
How beautiful! 🙂
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Sometimes the simplest things in life….are the most delightful.<3
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Isn’t that so true!!! 🙂
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How wonderful!! These grandchildren of ours constantly surprise and amaze us!!
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When we were raising our own kids, we didn’t have time to stop and marvel at the hilarious wisdom that often came forth. Now, we do! 🙂
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Exactly!!
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Hi Pam,
it is always fascinating what we can learn from kids.They are so smart and so wonderful, so honest. Great pose for meditation 🙂
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What’s fabulous is that Neville’s pre-school teachers start the kids’ day with a down dog and plank and breathing, and end it in the lotus position with namaste. At times when I feel society in general is going backwards, I watch kids like Neville and realize we are moving forward, too! ❤
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Goodness Pamela. What a very special moment. 😍
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Namaste to you, Brigid. xo
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How interesting that he felt the urgency to “teach you that something” while you were busy.
I’ve always said, kids know stuff.
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I didn’t realize this until you mentioned it here, Erik. You’re right, KIDS KNOW STUFF – and he got me away from the hustle and bustle and allowed me to B R E A T H E with him. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh.
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Aw…what a sweetie! Look at that smile! ❤
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Part devilish and part angelic. Haha. Happy weekend, Jill.
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oh, beautiful
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May you have a Zen Day! Namaste. xo
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I love the 1000-watt smile!
Namaste.
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He turns it on with abandon! 🙂 Namaste, Joanne.
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Awwwwwwwww! Thank you for sharing, Pam. ❤
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With the pull of his hand and the seriousness of the pose, I felt my crossed legged body lifted in joy, Merril. Poetic, huh? 🙂
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🙂
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Perfect lesson, perfect smile! Namaste, Neville, namaste Pam! 🙂 ❤
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May we all learn the lesson of stopping, sitting in Lotus, and breathing. Ahhhhhhhhhh. xo
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Never a dull moment with grandchildren! 🙂 It’s so much fun (most of the time) learning “new” things from them. 🙂 Their enthusiasm is contagious.
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As you say, you NEVER know what to expect from grandkids: squirming lobster or seated lotus. I’ll take the lotus anytime. 🙂
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Aren’t grandkids the best?
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The best. ❤
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Is this a true story? There are so many picture books on meditation, relaxation, yoga, mindfulness, tai chi etc. for young children. I reviewed three this week and others last year. It is such an important tool that will last a lifetime if children learn at a young age. Great post!
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Totally true story, Patricia. I can’t make this stuff up! Who’d a thunk a 5-year-old would go from lobster to lotus in the wink of an eye? But in his preschool class, they begin and end the day with yoga, which is so fantastic. I’m going over to see your review of yoga books. A friend of mine who has a 3-year-old (and she teaches yoga) has just written her own children’s yoga book and is hoping to publish it. I say, the more, the better.
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Pam, I am s touched by your story. Your grandson loves you a lot and shows this in an unexpected way. A special gift which has caught his imagination.
With a smile like that you would melt anyway. 😊
miriam
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This youngest of grandsons has seen me practice some yoga with his older sibling, so I think he’s decided sharing some yoga with me gives him a special place in my heart. Of course, he’d already stolen my heart, but a little Lotus just seals the deal. ❤
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Wonderful way to start my Friday, Pam. Thanks.
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And here it is, Monday. May it be wonderfully serene, with a walk along the beach, perhaps, as you intone Ommmmm to the seas. ❤
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Oh my goodness how surprising and how adorable. These little ones keep teaching us all the time.
Pam I have been hoping as the weeks go by you are feeling well. Sending hugs and wishes for your recovery.
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And may we keep on learning on into old age, Sue! Thanks so much for your health wishes. I’m slowly slowly recovering. Takes a lot longer for a head to heal than I realized! xo
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Yes that was our son’s experience too. Sending hugs and waves of patience. Xo
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And the children shall lead! What a wonderful smile and surprise Madre! 🙂
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So funny, how we adults think WE teach the children. In most cases, I think it’s the other way around. ❤
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Agreed Pam! 🙂
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What a sweet soul he is. I think when they say they want to teach you something verses I want to show you something, it’s a good time to tune in. Now who could be teaching him Yoga poses? I’m curious about his name for you. Have a wonderfilled weekend, Pam and thanks for sharing that beautiful little boy smile.
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Turns out that my little grandson is taught yoga poses in preschool – breathing in and meditating at the beginning of the day and at the end, with a down dog interspersed in between. How great is THAT? Our daughter spent her college junior year in Florence, Italy, and from then on called me Madre. So….when her kids came along… that’s what they call me. I love it.
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Sounds like a great preschool and I love the word Madre as well. Thanks for the update. 😉
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xo
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Finding zen at such a young age. So cute. 😊
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The more Zen out there, the more hope for our world. So glad the young ones are being encouraged to pose and meditate every day. ❤
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What a delightful queue of moments! Loved it, Pam! Namaste, indeed! ♥♥♥
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Zen moments from age 1 to 100 – now that’s the way to live. Namaste to you, my Warrior friend.
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How cute. And wonderfully relaxing! lol
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Thanks for enjoying my Lotus-seated grandson’s teaching moment. 🙂 xo
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Yum! Adorable! Love, love.
Jeanette
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Namaste to my CA friend, Jeanette. xo
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You have such adorable grandchildren. I miss not having them.
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I’ve discovered that grandchildren are a treasure to be explored and cherished. They know we love them unconditionally, so they expose their true selves in every way. Namaste, Gerlinde.
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So sweet! And so much nicer than a spider surprise!
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My misgivings almost kept me from a serene moment with a 5-year-old boy! Ahhh, life’s lessons… xo
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Early lessons in the Power of Now . . .
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How perfectly expressed, Arlene. The Power of Now. Most adults never learn this lesson, much less a young child. I wish you a beautiful NOW, today.
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Ah cool, how nice Pam. Unusual name is Neville. We have a famous sporting family here in the UK with the surname of Neville. Guess what their father’s first name is? Neville of course 🙂
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My father’s first name was Neville because his American mother revered the British. My dad fought during WWII and met other Nevilles overseas, but none in the U.S. Our daughter decided to name her youngest son Neville, and how I wish my dad was alive to see another American Neville strutting his stuff. 🙂
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Namaste! _/!\_
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Ah, peace to you my friend. ❤
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How sweet. And such a cute smile. Namaste, indeed.
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May we all learn to STOP, sink into a cross-legged position…and Breathe. 🙂 xo
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Grandkids are a blessing Pam…riding on whirlwinds, what unexpected moments of delight they add to our life! I can connect so much with these sentiments. Thanks for sharing.
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“Riding on Whirlwinds” – a beautiful poetic expression of a busy happy young child. So apt!
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How sweet! He’s starting young!
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At my grandson’s pre-school, Kate, they begin the morning with yoga poses and meditation. I think that’s brilliant!
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It is brilliant! I had to wear uniforms, dresses and skirts all through school so even my recess wasn’t all that athletic.
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Terrific story, Pamela.
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Thanks for enjoying, John. Namaste.
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How nice! Kids will always surprise, wont’ they? They’re a lot deeper than we think, too. Great post!
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I find that if I sit down with a child and ask a simple question, I can be surprised by the deepest responses, given with wide innocent eyes. I listen, stunned, and think “they know so much more than we adults do, because they haven’t yet been told what they’re SUPPOSED to know.”
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So true and very humbling.
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Awwww. What a cutie pie. Namaste, litttle one. Well done, Madre. ❤
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So Diana, have you taught Tornado Boy a downdog or two? Perhaps a Lotus, or at least the “dead bug” pose? 🙂
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I have. I used to teach preschooler yoga. It was so funny stringing the positions into a story. I didn’t know there was a “dead bug” pose. Lol! Probably similar to the tired turtle. 🙂
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You are always a wonderful surprise, Diana. You taught yoga in pre-school! How perfect! Dead Bug pose is also called “Happy Baby” pose. I’m sure you use it – great for the core and back.
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That’s Tornado Boy’s favorite! I’ll have to tell him the new name for it. 🙂
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Precious… ❤
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Thank you for reading my “teaching – NOW” story, Bette. xo
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Grandson sees you as a teachable “madre.” How cool is that! By the way, the meal on the deck table looks like a production of the Food Network!
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Ohhh, I think I am still very teachable, Marian. At least I try to be! And my son-in-law works too many hours during the week, so on the weekend he relaxes by using his creative energies on food grilling/smoking/sautéing/baking/chopping/serving – we all love the benefit.
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A good lesson for him to know, and teach Pamela.
Namaste
xxx Massive Hugs xxx
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Hi Sir David! Hope you’re doing well. Huge hug back. xoxoxox
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Probably the most beautiful post I’ve read today!
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Wow, thank you Madekesiworld. Namaste (PEACE) to you.
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You most welcome dear! Namaste to you too.
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What a lovely lesson, he knew you needed it that day 🙂
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Funny that – how children feel and respond to our moods so perfectly. ❤
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Oohh! That’s so sweet! Namaste.
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Namaste – hope you’re having a lovely week. ❤
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Mastering meditation at five—this young man has a great life ahead of him!
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How I wish I had learned meditation at five – or at least by 15!!!
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Omg What a sweet story. You are special to be gifted with such a being, soul as is your grandson. Xo Jp
Sent from my iPhone
>
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So true, my dear friend. Miss you, JP! ❤
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How absolutely gorgeous is that. I’m pleased you made time to learn, and to share. Thank you. Namaste.
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Ah, yes, Norah. We adults need to stop and allow the children to teach. Namaste, my friend.
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Children are our best teachers. 🙂
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Awesome. He’s an absolute gem, but where? how? did he learn about yoga??
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My grandson attends a pre-school where they begin the day with yoga poses and meditation. How wonderful is THAT? ❤
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Picks jaw off floor. That is amazing and then some. Is it a Steiner school or something?
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Haha. Believe it or not, a pre-school through the town’s school system. Hey, the Boston area is quite “HIP” and up with the times. 🙂
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Wow…I wish we had public schools like that here.
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Impressive!
My son, on the other hand, has discovered arm wrestling and now feels compelled to challenge me on an almost daily basis.
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Are you a good loser? ;-0
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Absolutely precious! 🙂 (P.S. Pam, your name is no longer attached to your tweet button)
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Huh, I’ll have to figure out the tweet button thingy… Thanks, Debby.
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🙂
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I’m helpless in this department. I checked my profile in Twitter but all seems fine there…
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No, it’s not Twitter you have to check. You need to go into your dashboard >share buttons, this is where you attach your social accounts and add your name to them. You have to check your Twitter in there and probably have to re-enter your Twitter handle. I’ve noticed it happening to a few author’s blogs that their Twitter name is unattaching itself from the tweet button.
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Beautiful story, Pam. Sometimes children are wiser. 🙂
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It’s scary, how much wiser children can be. We adults need to stop more often and listen to them. xo
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What a sweetie! I love that smile! And how precious that he didn’t just want to share, he wanted to TEACH you. I love that. 🙂
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I’m hoping Neville will follow his mother’s footsteps and become a teacher/professor/instructor of some kind in his adult life. Nothing more important…. ❤
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So darling!! Namaste. 🙂
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Hope you are having a peaceful week my friend. Namaste.
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Pamela, this post is pure music to my ears. I wish I had done yoga with my little ones ~ it makes so much sense to teach them the skills for staying calm and reducing anxiety when they are really young. Much like learning a language comes easily at a young age. Your grandson sounds prime for a lifetime of inner discovery and curiosity about the world around him.
Curious as to why he calls you “madre”? Spanish language in the household?
Namaste indeed!!
Peta
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I was not “into” yoga either when my children were young, but now I’m “enthralled” with the idea of practicing yoga with my young grandkids. Little Neville (and his siblings) call me Madre because my daughter (their mother) lived in Florence, Italy for her junior college year, and from then on, she called me Madre instead of Mom. Her children now think that’s a great name for me. 🙂
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Wonderful! What a great kid you have there. He knew just what you needed!
And it’s almost Friday again! 😀
Enjoy, my friend!
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So wonder that he shared this with you Pam and that he was persistent. Nameste , indeed.. 🙏🏻
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How adorable, Pam.
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Oh, bless! 🙂 🙂 We don’t have a grandson, as such, but our son has been living with a lovely girl for the past 2 years and she has a 5 year old. He has brought a lot of joy to our lives. We see them infrequently but yesterday was a day of playing dinosaurs in the park, in between bike rides. 🙂 Have a great weekend!
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Children can be quite intuitive and more spiritual than we give them credit for! How wonderful for him to want to share his new found life lesson with Madre! 😉
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Every once in a while he gets that sparkle in his eye, and I know it’s time for a new pose. 🙂
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