Sometimes I wonder what goes on in their little heads

Saturday Antonio flat out refused to participate in soccer practice. He told me that he was no longer interested in playing soccer and that he wanted to play baseball. Normally this would be music to my ears if I hadn't already prepaid for the soccer practice at the YMCA. Since we are past the half-way point in the "season" there is no way I'm going to get a refund so I made Antonio sit through the remainder of the practice. He clapped whenever anyone scored a goal...even the other team. He appeared to be very apathetic and just wanted to be anywhere else.

We went home and his attitude went from bad to worse when he began acting up and generally being a pest. He started by deliberately making a mess upstairs and time out just wasn't cutting it. It culminated when he put his hands on my throat in choking fashion and told me that he was not going to go clean upstairs and that I was no longer allowed to talk to him. I did my best to keep from laughing and then when I realized that he was serious I explained to him that what he was doing was unacceptable and that he would now be taking a nap. A cacophony of cries emanated from his room for the next hour or so until he realized that we weren't coming up to get him.

And then later when Misty and I didn't think we could take any more he was much better behaved and he told Misty and I how much he loved us; it was almost as if he knew that we had reached our breaking point. He ate his dinner without complaining and even asked for seconds. He helped out around the house and he helped pick up toys before bed time. He totally redeemed himself. It is one of those things where if you weren't a parent you might have lost your cool, but knowing that they can be so wonderful most of the time you let it slide.

Sunday after mass we went to see where his Sunday school class would be next week and as we were walking through the Education Center Antonio saw Jesus on the Cross. He asked "why Jesus was on the Cross" and "who put him there?" It is amazing that the same child that can get under your skin one moment is the same child that amazes you with poignant questions the next. Misty and I felt very proud at that moment as we realized that our children are such a blessing and that the fleeting moments of silliness and disobedience are outweighed by the intelligence and compassion they exhibit the rest of the time.