The important things in life

In today's world it seems we spend so much time filling our home with "things". I know I am guilty of it, especially after buying a new house. But, do you ever stop and wonder what you would grab if you had to "get out quickly" or if the house was on fire? Since my friends' house burned 10 years ago, I have often thought about it.

Last night when the tornado sirens went off, I wasn't really thinking my house was going to be destroyed, but I guess Hunter and Jayson were. I grabbed Katie (who was of course already in my bed), Jay grabbed Hunter and Jayson. Those were OUR "most important things". Katie kept screaming for the dogs and Hunter wouldn't leave her room without her blankie (now that's important stuff).

Jayson took the longest, he ran back into his room and grabbed something (Jay didn't know what) and then ran downstairs. The moment he arrived I knew what it was....but Jay really had no clue.

After all the turmoil was over, Jay finally asked him what was so important that he had to run back into his room during tornado sirens. Jayson showed it to him and I think Jay was actually speechless. It was a scrapbook that we had made for Jay on Father's day last year. It contained all our pictures of VT (from VTs youth to the days before he died) and our memories were written all through out it. Jayson actually keeps that book beside his bed and looks at it almost every night.

Just when the teen years make me want to scream, I get to see a glimpse of the true heart of my child. When he shows us that he knows what the important things in life really are! He could have grabbed so many things that we think he loves above all else: cell phone, video game, paintball guns. But he didn't.