David and I were in the temple last night and so this morning the lone and dreary world seemed worse than usual.

"I hate the lone and dreary world," I said from my side of the bed. "It's lonely. And dreary."

David only sighed. He knew where this was going.

And so I ranted on my own for a bit and then went to find our children.

Breakfast, scriptures, lunches, practicing, hair. In that order.

And then out the door. The lone and dreary world was waiting.

We went to the bus stop. The world was about to get lonelier and drearier.

And then Ethan told us that today was international talk-like-a-pirate day and tried out a few sentences littered with 'Black Pearl' and 'golden doubloon' references. Savannah and I grinned. When he got out of the car he said, "Love you," in his best piratey brogue.

We laughed out loud and Savannah whispered privately, "That pirate sounds a lot like cookie monster."

I was filled with pure, unadulterated delight. And suddenly, getting the lone and dreary world in exchange for the chance at joy and rejoicing in your posterity seemed like the best trade in the world. It made me wonder if the Serpent mentioned nine-year-old boys in his list of reasons to taste the forbidden fruit.

I'm thinking it probably sealed the deal.