An Inquiring Mind Wants to Know

I have stated here on this blog several time in the past that HT likes to ask the question "Why?" and that he often asks it repeatedly.  I do try to answer his questions but I must admit that I can grow weary of them and every time I answer one he comes up with several follow up questions that sometimes . . . well it seems impossible to give him a satisfactory answer.

Lately I have been writing some of the questions down and I present them here today for your enjoyment and if any of you all can give me any pointers or perhaps give answering some of these questions a shot I would love your input.

"Mama, do spiders like mud? Do dey?"

"I don't know I've never asked a spider."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm big, spiders are little.

"Well if you're in da Thing-A-Majigger, you get small and den you can ask dem!"

::

"Mama, why don't spiders like water? Why?"

"I suppose they don't like getting their hair wet."

"Why can spiders hold lots of things? Why?"

"Maybe because they have eight legs."

"Why do dey have eight legs? Why?"

"So they can hold lots of things."

::

"Mama, do bugs need glasses? Do dey?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because they don't know how to read."

"What about when dey get old?"

::

"Mama, have you ever seen an ant poop?"

"Um . . .  no, nor do I want too.

"Why not?"

::

"Mama, what kind of blood do butterflies have?"

"Butterfly kind."

"Mama, do flowers need blood?"

"No, they need sunshine and rain."

::

"Mama, why do bananas need seeds? Why?"

"So they can grow more bananas."

::

"Mama, do big and taller boys be obedient?"

"Yes they do.  At least they're supposed to."

"Well I should smack dat other idea right out of my head!"

::

"Mama, do ghosts eat dust? Do dey?"

"No, ghosts don't eat anything."

"Why not?  What do dust eat?"

::

"Mama, what happens when people are swimming in da ocean, reading a book and teaching people how to read and get sucked down by a swirly-whirl?"

"They would probably drown."

"How come some swirly-whirls are big and some are little? I never see'd a big one."

::

"Mama, what's Gods phone number?"

"God doesn't have a phone number we can talk to him anytime.  That's what we are doing when we pray, talking to God."

"No, Mama, what's his phone number!?"

"1-800-PRAYER."

::

"Mama, why does sometimes when you bend over God sees your butt?  God can see through houses.  Did ya know dat?  Somebody told me dat but I can't remember who."

::

I asked him the other day why he asks so many questions and he told me, "God gives me questions at da night!"

Who Doesn't Love a Parade?

Some of you may not know this but yesterday was a local holiday.

It's the day when the majority religion in these here parts celebrate their arrival in this valley.  They call it Pioneer Day.  And might I put forth that some of them celebrate this holiday with more gusto, more vim and vigor than they do our countries Independence Day.  That's pretty much why we have had fireworks going off in the neighborhood since the end of June.

Despite yesterday being the official day they are celebrating today with parades all over the state.  (Our State's unofficial motto is "Never on Sunday").

So. . . yeah . . . who doesn't love a parade?

Don't get me wrong as a kid I couldn't wait to see the parade, the anticipation building, the excitement barely contained as I waited to get that first glimpse of glued and papered glory . . . and the chance to load up on salt water taffy that was sometimes hurled from the floats, kid nirvana.

But now the prospect of standing and/or sitting for an hour or more in the hot humid sun, while vying for position with the crowds for a clear view on the shady side of the street is not appealing.  The asphalt is radiating the heat of the day causing the thermometer to rise even higher and the sweat to trickle down our backs, while we watch extravagantly decorated motorized trailers covered with religious symbolism creep along the parade route interspersed with marching bands, hand carts, covered wagons, local dignitaries and certain religious leaders in vintage convertibles all pelting us with candy as they pass by.  Then there are the horses who leave behind meadow muffins on the pavement and the clowns with the super soakers spraying confetti into the crowd.  Inevitably despite my careful planning and packing of a bag with water bottles and sunscreen I leave it sitting at home on the kitchen counter.  I hide behind sunglasses in agony with a fake smile on my lips as the vein in my temple starts to pound in tempo with the passing marching band and my skin starts to turn a shade of red that only belongs on a buttered lobster and I have to keep reminding myself that we are doing this for our kids because we don't want to deny them the experience.

That's why when I heard that there was a parade float preview the other day in the large, well air conditioned exposition center I packed up the boys and went.

Wouldn't have missed it for the world.

Fun in the Sun

So how's your summer going?

Swimmingly I hope.

We have been busy, although it doesn't seem like we stray very far from home and we are always exhausted by the time we get back, even if it's just to play in the back yard.  The heat will do that to ya, ya know.

We have had play dates with friends, both old and new.

Found a new park in the middle of suburbia, with a pool and a little bit of wilderness.

Saw some cactus in bloom and identified some wildflowers, had a blast throwing rocks into the raging river and dipped our toes into an ice cold stream.  I had never really noticed how delicate and papery thin the flowers are on a cacti.

Had fun making "dinosaur skeletons" out of rocks and twigs.

Went to the zoo and saw some "real" dinosaurs and bones.

Rescued a gopher from the window well.  I think the time to put covers on the window wells is long past.  We have now rescued no fewer than three critters from its depths, a snake, a gopher and a baby skunk!

Fed some ducks, chased a chicken, "drove" a tractor.

We have even taken the time to stop and smell the roses.

And welcomed the rest that comes at the end of the day.

So, what have you been doing all summer?

Mercy

The bedtime routine at our house has evolved as the boys have gotten older.  We have tried to keep it somewhat consistent with a story book or two and sometimes a song or two.  There is one song in particular that gets more requests than any other and that is a hymn.

One that I learned as a girl, one that we used to sing in church.

One that was written by a man my parents knew and bound in a little hymnal with others that had been written by members of the congregation.

So it is one that only a handful of people may know.

HT calls it "Mercy" but that is not the title of the hymn.  It's called "Tell Me of Jesus".

And I have been singing it to HT since I first held him in my arms.

I was reading the blog of a friend a year or so ago and noticed that she had an Etsy shop.  That's when I discovered that she had a hidden talent.  A talent with pen and paper.  She was selling hand made cards in her shop with hymns that she had drawn on the front covers.

It took some doing but I found that little hymnal and I asked her to make me a picture.

When HT saw it and asked me what it was and I told him it was "Mercy" his eyes got all wide and he asked excitedly if we could hang it in his room.

I was happy to oblige.

Thanks Ann.e

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly

in all wisdom, 

teaching and admonishing one another

in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,

singing with grace in your hearts

to the Lord."

Colossians 3:16