Let Them Eat . . . Cupcakes!

Yesterday, my granddaughters Rylan (5) and Kinley (4) helped me make cupcakes for grandson Christian's 5th birthday.  Cooking is a big event when it's real and not in the let's-pretend, kid-sized kitchen.  Aprons on, chairs to the counter, measuring cups out, all supplies ready, electric mixer plugged in, oven preheating. 

Now there are certain steps that these two are always eager to do--lining the cupcake pan with colorful papers, squatting down to check that Grammy has measured ingredients to the correct line in the glass cup, slowly pouring the water and oil in the big bowl, taking a turn with the mixer (and licking leftover batter off the beaters, of course).  But adding eggs?  That's supposed to be Grammy Val's job. Nevertheless, I coaxed them into giving the old egg-cracking a try.  Rylan was willing to tap the egg on the metal bowl, but I had to finish the cracking and drop the raw egg into the cake mix ("because eggs are too messy").  Kinley was up for the whole adventure.  She tapped, she squished, egg ran over her hand, but she got it in the bowl.  

Kinley proceeded to give me a slimy high five, and started woo-hooing and dancing around the kitchen, declaring, "I'm telling Mommy I cracked an egg by myself!  Whew! I can crack eggs . . I have the best life!"

How do we get back there?  To those essential and elementary moments of discovery and joy--to those times when we realize that life is a beautiful gift, the best gift?  The Bible tells us that a little child shall lead them.

So, if today your life doesn't feel like it's all it's cracked up to be, make some cupcakes.  Get crackin!