Prayers and Picky Eaters

Gracen has always been a picky eater. Peanut butter and jelly, mac and cheese, and chicken tenders top her list of mainstays. Throw in blueberry or raisin bran muffins in the morning and yogurt for desert and she's generally a happy camper.

We recently made the rule (again) that there would be no more separate meals, unless the meal is something very spicy (doesn't happen often). She would need to try one bite and would be allowed not to eat it if she absolutely didn't like it. Last night's meal was corn flake chicken (one of her favorites), mashed potatoes and steamed carrots. I put a piece of chicken, some potatoes, and one carrot on her plate.

The conversation was something like this:
G (coming into the kitchen and seeing her plate): "What's the white stuff?"
Dad: "Those would be mashed potatoes. The inside of a french fry."
G (with a doubtful look): "Oh"
Mom: "You have to try a bite."
Dad: "Gracen, say the blessing please."
G: Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for this day.
Thank you for, um, this food. (I didn't look, but I'm pretty sure her nose was wrinkled up.)
Please let us have a good day tomorrow. (Real meaning, please let dinner be better.)
Amen.

With that, she took a minuscule bit of mashed potato on her fork, choked it down with Kool-Aid, and declared, "It's not bad." But not another bit went into her mouth. She did eat the carrot.

And, somewhere, in Arkansas my mother is laughing because I'm raising myself! (Yes, Mom, I ate the carrots.)