Where do balloons go?

Yesterday, after we picked up Taylin from preschool, we spent the rest of the afternoon running errands! (so exciting, huh?) I have become a mother of bribery when it comes to the grocery store, and I told the girls that if they were good the whole time, they could have a balloon before we left (FYI, Fry's gives out free balloons). The girls met their end of the bargain so, so did I. They both got to pick out their own balloon and the color of string that went on it! (If you don't know, that is so exciting for a 2y and a 4y) After each one of them got there balloon, I tied it to their wrist so that they would not loose it, explaining to them that they don't want it to fly away. Taylin then tells me, "yeah, if we let it go, then it will go to heaven and my brother Jaden will get to have it." I smile. I am amused at how often to she remembers her brother.

To let some of you in on the "behind the story" if you don't know already, every year on Jaden's birthday as a family we go and get a bunch of balloons and take them to his grave site and let them go. It's our way of sending him some balloons. So, apparently know, Taylin thinks that anytime you let a balloon go, it goes to heaven.

Back to our present story, once we had gotten in the car, the girls had figured out how to take the balloons off their wrists, and of course once we got home, Taylin managed to accidentally let the balloons slip out of her hand while playing with them in the front yard. Saddened that she had let them go, Taylin easily moved on. Rayna on the other hand was sad that her balloon was let go too. So she says,"Mom, why did Taylin let the balloons go to heaven." Another smile by me, because I never know how much Rayna always gets. Taylin answers Rayna, "Jaden can have them now. He'll like the pink and purple balloon." Rayna says, "Oh, and the yellow one, too." Taylin nods her head and says, "yep."

It's amazing to me the innocence of childhood. Things may be make believe for us, but they are so concrete for them. It also never ceases to amuse me on how a little mind works and is trying so desperately to figure things out. I think its a beautiful, precious gift from the Lord.