What I mean when I say "memory of an elephant..."

They say an Elephant never forgets... well, nor does my Elena. That's why Joe and I have always said that she has the memory of an elephant.

For as long as I can remember (which isn't very long), Elly has always had such a good memory for a child her age. She has always been so easy to teach things to, because she remembers everything so well and so quickly! I remember Joe and I were so impressed when she picked up his iphone and started playing memory games and being so good at it! Even the way she navigates herself through YouTube and other applications by using her memory is very impressive. I'm not even sure I can do it as well as she can, and lets face it- I'm pretty smart and I can read!

One of her favourite past times is playing card games like snap and memory with me...she beats me nearly every time! She also makes a very good 'GPS system,' like the time she informed me I had taken the wrong turn to go to the airport... she was right. Joe and I always have to watch what we say or promise her, because she will remember... word for word... and wether we say it a hour ago or a year ago, it doesn't matter, she doesn't forget.

The latest example happened just the other day. As we walked into town, I stopped to get some money out from the ATM. She asked me if she could help me press the buttons. I lifted her up to my knee and let her do it by pointing to the buttons she needed to press for my pin number and to get my money out. She loved helping me and it reminded me how much I liked helping my dad do it when I was a kid. So the next day, when I went to get some more money out (I did a lot of op shopping that week), she asked me if she could help me again. So again I picked her up, put her on my knee and just as I was about to point out the numbers, she just started to type in my pin and pressed all the other buttons she needed on her own! I just stood there stunned as I watched my little machine remembering how to do it all. It had taken me so long to remember that pin number! All it took her, was less than a minute.

This brought me back to my youth and made me realise where Elly gets it from. When I was a teenage girl, I remember envying my little sister Irma's good memory! I'd watch her memorise exam answers, oral presentations, and whole essays with such ease! I remember one day, she was helping me study for an exam and while I was failing miserably to remember anything, she was memorising everything with ease and could have so easily passed that exam without even taking the subject! She would even be one of he first ones in seminary to always pass of all her scripture masteries, even the really long ones! Such a show off! :-P

Oh, how I wish I too had the memory of an elephant. It would have made those long study nights during my uni days a whole lot easier! Even now, It would be so beneficial as a mother. There are so many little and wonderful things that are said and done during the day, that I hope not to forget. I guess i'll just have to keep on blogging ;)

Elly, I'm so thrilled that you inherited this gift from your aunty Irma. It's almost like having your own superhero power! It will help you so much during your schooling years and life in general. It will also help me when I'm old and frail and you can remember everything for me... like my pin number!

Here is my little Elly the 'elephant'