Sarah

Me and Sarah playing with our trolls

Today we had playgroup with the women in the area and I was more than relieved to see that it went better than last week. Last week our two oldest boys sorta just watched the other kids from the side while McCabe eagerly raced around with his new toddler friends. I was happy for Cabey, but I felt so bad for the other boys. They're lives have been so unsettled for the last two months and even though they are doing really well, I can tell that it has taken a toll on them all the same. Watching them stand shyly on the side was proof of that and it broke my heart to see. But today was different.

This morning Mason asked if he could bring his new toads (he caught three more on Sunday but we let them all go tonight) to show his new friends at playgroup. Since I didn't have any problem with it, we headed off with the toads in tow. But once we got there, I could see that his little plan was brilliant! As it turns out, three toads make great ice breakers and in no time, all three boys were running around happily with the other children. I am so glad!

It reminded me of a time when I made a new friend in Sarah Murphy when I was a little girl. I was around 6 or 7 and was incredibly shy and quiet. To top it off, my only friend was no longer able to play with me since I laughed like a witch. (Ouch.) For a while, I had been hoping to befriend a spunky little girl named Sarah, at park day (a day when all the home schoolers in the area got together so the children could play while the mothers planned and talked together) but I was so shy that when I asked her if I could play, it came out in such a faint whisper and she never even heard me. She skipped off with another friend while I walked away quietly crying.  

Then one day I happened to bring a rubber band gun that my grandpa made me to the park to keep me occupied. After playing by myself for a while, I got up the courage to ask her one more time before giving up forever. I found Sarah (with a bun on her head almost as large as her head itself) crouched down looking for something in the bushes. After mustering all the courage I had, I asked the little group of girls if I could play, too. "Sure!" Sarah said without even looking up, "We're trying to find a rubber band so that we can make a bow and arrow to go shoot the boys with!" What luck! I had a whole slew of them and a weapon to boot! From that day on we were inseparable. Nearly every weekend for the rest of our growing up years were spent at one or the other's house. How grateful I am that Heavenly Father gave me a friend like her!

When I got home from our morning venture, I realized what the date was and remembered that it was Sarah's birthday! Every year for as long as I can remember, we call each other up on our birthdays and sing the same special birthday song and then have a good heart-to-heart chat. Today was no exception! As always, it was just what I needed!

So maybe I shouldn't worry so much about my little men. Maybe there is a life-long friend out there waiting for goofy boys with pet toads to come along. And like me, they'll be forever grateful.