from the mouth of a babe

thursday afternoons and nights, i become a surrogate mom to my nephew miguel. that's the night my sis stays out late for some spiritual energizing (i.e., her prayer meeting).

i have spent most of my life in the company of children. that's why i became a pre-school teacher. but the beauty of being a teacher, as i always explain to those who ask, is that there's always the prospect (sometimes, the excitement!) of sending them home. it's a 3-hour play day, work is. such is not the case when the child lives in your home.

i don't get much work done once i get home. miguel's always around wanting to type something (funny how it happens whenever you're on the computer), wants you to fold something, borrow your "stuff", brush his teeth, read him a book, write him a book, make an art attack, find cardboard... get the idea? motherhood IS an on-call job, and i'm just the ninang!

don't get me wrong; i love miguel to death - as i do my other 30+ godchildren. sucker that i am, i let him get away with his "demands" then try to steal away when he's busy. tonight (last night) was not any different.

migueli and i were on his bed. i was trying to put him to sleep; he was trying anything but sleep. as is his routine when he is with me, i reminded him to say his evening prayers. and off we go...

dear jesus,

thank you for today. thank you for all i have and for the world.

please don't make it rain tomorrow because i'm going to school.

please protect my mom. please make her come home safe. make her car drive very, very fast, but don't make it bump anything. make her come home in one piece and safe... not even a booboo.

please bless my family and, and, and my house, and my household.

i love you, jesus. amen.

"not even a booboo." how can anyone resist that? that is one blessed mother, my sister is, who came home about an hour later, sans any booboos.

goonight, migueli! sleep tight. your prayers have come true.