"Idiom" and "idiocy" share a common cognate, you know.

Nathan and Z are walking around the Riverside yard, picking up fallen twigs, putting them in the red wheelbarrow. 

Nathan: This tree drops so many branches every time there's a storm.

Z [in his own world again]: WHAT?

Nathan: I said, this tree drops so many branches every time there's a storm.

Z [furiously at work]: You don't need to tell me twice.

"Let There Be . . ."

Tonight I was reading the first chapter of the Jesus Storybook Bible to Z and Eden.  It is, of course, the creation story, so we read how God says, "Let there be light!  Let there be sky and water!  Let there be sun, moon, and stars!  Let there be fish and birds!  Let there be animals that run, walk, and creep!"  Eden interrupted the story here and said, "And after Adam and Eve sinned, God said, 'Let there be mosquitoes!'"

Too true.

Christian Education

Nathan again.  It has been a surprising experience doing Christian education with my children.  So much of what you say sticks with them - just not necessarily what you plan.  So much of what they articulate back to you is fresh and real yet totally age-appropriate.  Here's an example from this morning.  I drive Z to school, and our morning commute is when most of our substantive interaction takes place (the rest of the day is grunting and wrestling).

Z: What's a private school?

N: It's a school that's not run by the government.  A government-run school is called a public school, and it is paid for with tax dollars.  Private schools are paid for by parents.  You have a good public school, but someday you will probably go to a private school.  What mommy and I like about private schools is that many of them talk about Jesus there openly.  And they teach subjects differently, with God in mind.

Z: Oh.  I though a private school was where students got taught privately, one on one.

N: Another great reason for going to a private Christian school is that there's a good chance you'll have Christian friends.  I hope you have non-Christian friends too, but that you are sure to have some Christian friends.

Z: I have a Christian friend.

N: You do?

Z: Yeah, J.

N: Of course.  I can see that J. is taking his faith seriously, which I respect about him.

Z: I don't know if E. and B. are Christians.  I think they are.

N: It's possible.  But sometimes people call themselves Christian, even go to church, but don't really know about Jesus.  That's why it's important that you talk to them about Jesus.  They need to know God.  [Adding a serious tone.]  And life is short.

Z: Life is short.  I thought [my cousin] Ethan's birthday just happened recently, but it's coming up in just a few weeks.

Eden's Preschool Christmas Program

This is ridiculously late, but better now than never!  Eden took part in her preschool Christmas program last Christmas and it was wonderful and so was she.  She marched into the auditorium in her pretty red Christmas dress, so excited to take part in the program!

The children started with a song, which Eden led out on -- all the other children following along.  The theme of the program was that the night Jesus was born was "a night like no other" and each child learned a specific line along that theme.  Eden's was, "It was a night like no other for shepherds and their sheep."  She spoke her line very clearly right into the microphone!

They sang several songs, and, my favorite, they formed a bell choir!  Each child had a differently colored bell, and the teacher held up cards corresponding to those colors.  When the teacher held up your color, you rang your bell!  They played "Silent Night" and did a really amazing job!  All the kids were so serious and so concentrated on their teacher -- it was delightful.

 

From the Past

I found this trio of pictures today while looking through an old album.

Z and Eden Quotables, ages 8 and 4

Eden: Wuffta! [As in the Scandinavian exclamation]

.....

[Z and Eden received stickerbooks in the mail, a Star Wars one for Z, a wedding dress-up one for Eden.  They got competitive quickly.]

Z: You don't have a light saber.

Eden: You don't have a red dress.

Z: You don't have a smuggler's helmet.

Eden: You don't have a gloss of lipstick.

Z: You don't have a bunch of first-order freaks.

.....

[Z is particularly obsessed about the seventh Star Wars movie and is already dreaming about the eighth.]

Z: What do you think the new Star Wars movie will be called?

Eden: Avenger.

Daddy: Triumph of the Wookies.

Christina: The Force Hits the Snooze Button.

Z: Why!?  Am I the only one who's going to call it a sensible name!?

From the Past

Lisa just sent me this old video of Eden.  Isn't she the sweetest, most solemn little baby??