Orange Farm

I sat next to these two little angels today during the first hour of church.
They were so adorable and sat so reverently during the entire service. When the 3 hours of church ended
I saw them begin their walk home
ALONE
I asked someone who they were and where their parents were
So one of the members asked the girls and they said their parents were home.
Their parents are not members of the church so these two sweet girls came to church
ALL BY THEMSELVES
I remembered when they arrived and I helped the little girl take her backpack off
She carefully unzipped it and brought out her Book of Mormon
She held it in her hand throughout the entire meeting

The third hour of church this little angel and I played with my I-pad. She loved taking her own picture.
Then we just looked though all my family photos.
I love going to church at Orange Farm. I especially like when I get to interact with the members of the church.
Today before church began I spoke to a woman and her 39 year old daughter. When I asked the older woman how many children she had,  she paused a moment, then said,

"I had 5 but then one of my sons

DISAPPEARED"

She went on to say,

"so now I have 4."

I wonder what that would be like

To just have a child disappear

The bond between a mother and child is so strong

Every day I see mothers caring for their babies,
Last week at church I watched a baby begin to fuss in her mothers arms and the mother gently wrapped her baby around her back and began to rock back and forth
  soon the baby was fast asleep.

Today I saw a mommy tie her baby to her back and when the mothers friend tried to adjust the blanket the mother said,
"Oh now, he is going to fuss"
Her friend tried to assure her the baby was fine,
and  asked
"Why do you say he is going to fuss"
The mother said,
"because I can feel him begin to struggle"

It made me think about how close a mother and her child are

From the moment we feel the first flutter as our child stirs within our womb are lives are interwoven.

In just a few days after birth we begin to develop an innate ability to read our babies cues,
We learn to know the distinction between a cry of hunger and a cry indicating it is time for a diaper change.
We know when our children need a little extra coaxing or encouragement to try something new
We know when our children need a little extra attention

It is an amazing, gentle knowing that mothers develop

We know that someday they will leave us
We know that someday they will be ready to be on their own
We prepare for the day they will marry and someday raise children of their own
But we are never prepared for a child to just

DISAPPEAR

today I am counting my blessings
and praying for my sweet friend
that someday
her beautiful son will return