Filled "OF" Great Joy

We've always had a suspicion that our little Miss Priss may grow up to be an actress or some sort of performer. She's definitely no child star, that's for sure. You need to be able to take instruction from adults well. We're not there yet. But the way her mind works, and how I constantly find her in some imaginary world when she thinks I'm not watching, just cracks me up. My all-time favorite Miss Priss moment happened a few months ago during our snack time here at home. For those of you who have heard the story before, forgive the repeat, but I wanted to share with friends and family who don't live so close. It still cracks me up thinking about it.

Just for some background, last year we got suckered into buying a set of those Living Scriptures. I won't go into detail, but sufficeth to say The Man and I ended up despising the company, their marketing tactics and business ethics, and have vowed to do all in our power to make sure no one else we know suffers the same rotten experience we did. Although the videos are great, and the kids happen to LOVE them, it's not worth your life savings. You can teach your children about the gospel without emptying your bank account. I'll get off my soapbox now.

Anywho, Miss Priss really took to the video called The Tree of Life. It was great to have an appropriate show to watch on Sunday, and she really was learning. As we would read from the scriptures about the story of Lehi and his family, she would pipe in with comments like, "This is just like when Nephi was helping everyone with the rod; right, Mom?" I was proud.

One afternoon the girls sat at the table for their afternoon snack as I cut up an apple for them. After they started eating Miss Priss said to me, "Mom, I'm going to eat this apple like on 'The Tree of Life.' "

"Okay."

She proceeded to gingerly hold a slice of apple cupped in both hands, close her eyes, and take a gentle bite right out of the middle. I laughed a little. She then finished her bite and opened her eyes wide. With a huge smile on her face, she proclaimed, "Mom! This fruit filled my soul of great joy!"

Yes, "of great joy." That's how you know it came from a 4-year-old. She has continued to enjoy other videos in the BOM collection, but she always goes back to her fav, The Tree of Life.



She loves to act out the scenes, pretending to be either Lehi or Nephi. She will find an old cardboard tube from wrapping paper and hold it out and tell me, "This is the iron rod, Mom." She will walk around the room and up and down the stairs, pretending to struggle with holding on to the rod. And she will quote the movie and then help me with my lines. "Mom, you have to be Lehi. You tell me, 'Hold on to the rod, Nephi! There are many dangers!' "

What an imagination! She's no Dakota Fanning, but she's quite a character. I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.