Tuesday, April 26

And on to more interesting things...

Ready... Aim... FIRE!! *thunk*

FIRE!! *plink*

What are they doing out there? We peek out the door to see that the boys have strung a bungee cord over the top of a Rubbermaid trash can, affixed to the handles. One boy has a pile of small stones and the other is conning the cord. Lay the stone on the lid, pull back and, FIRE!! Targets are on the back gate. What a cool idea. John thought it up, and is quite pleased with the outcome. He also aims exceptionally well. Hey, Melissa, can Race take trainees this young?

Perceptive Boy
I plopped down at the coffee table with the boys for breakfast and after we prayed, James glanced at me with a singularly worried expression. "Mom, you look tired. Are you okay?" I was caught a bit off-guard. "Aren't you sleeping well?" he asked, when I didn't answer. When did my little boy become so perceptive? When did he begin to talk like such a young man? I don't mean talking, per se, but speaking, with such gentle authority and intuitiveness? He is growing and stepping into new grooves, and while we don't notice the changes as markedly as we do in Smidge - who still seems to change daily, they are there and they are profound. It's amazing to me that this once small, pudgy fluff-headed toddler is growing into the man he will be, and he is taking it in such graceful strides. My heart melted.

Making Connections
We are reading our way through the tales of Greek Heroes. Today we read the journey Zeus and Hermes took to determine the wickedness of mankind, and whether to destroy the earth or spare it. The boys got quite a kick out of the story itself, filled with some pretty amazing stuff as it is. They both caught parallels to the Christian stories of Sodom and Gomorrah and of the Flood. But the question that I felt showed their minds the most was far more simple: why didn't Philemon and Baucis ask for children, because that's the greatest gift anyone could be given. They went on that vein for a while before we could finish the story. I had no answer, other than that they were old and near the end of their lives, citing that they had asked to die together at the same moment. This satisfied the boys, until Zeus also granted the old couple renewed youth, which set off a celebration of joy among the boys: now they can have children on their own! YAY!

I had no idea they felt so strongly about family and children. I'm glad they understand their value - to us, to life, and to the world. My heart's greatest hope is that every child could have that understanding, that assurance.

Today was good. It was, for the most part, wholly unproductive, but only in material ways. Emotionally, it was a great, great day.

Kiss those precious, valuable babies!
~Dy

6 comments:

J-Lynn said...

LOL@the slingshot - boys are cool. I'm glad they share your family values. :-)

And as for them growing considerate and perspective don't I know it! I've been really battling these pregnancy hormones and the nausea so I havne't been myself. I was sitting on the couch adn Ryan looked at me very concerned and said, "Mom, are you sick?"

We have such great boys!

Anonymous said...

LOL - the day Tias figures out the sling shot is the day you'll find me pacing and figeting. Mr. Low Self-Control should *not* learn about those for a few years, please?

Glad to have you back!
Poppins

melissa said...

Hey Girl! You're doing great, keep at it. You'll be relaxing on that front porch with a glass of tea in your hand in no time!
Race says, "Bring em on!" It would be great to have some new trainees who did not have to first work through being scared of their weapon, before they learned to shoot! Good aim, too? Almost too much to ask.
Wanted to say about the "chicken bone incident". It just goes to show that taking away firearms will NEVER work....folks will resort to using chicken bones!
Sweet Home Alabama!

Anonymous said...

I hope you'll soon find some time to relax.
As for those boys, how could they not know their value with parents like the two of you?
You all are so blessed to have one another!

Crissy

Thom said...

What cool kids!

Keep up the very obvious good work!

Kim said...

Oh, how sweet that your boy saw that you were tired. Doesn't it just make your heart melt when you manly qualities in your boy?