Emily's Funny Quote/ Online Bible Study

I've been quite absent-minded lately in my writing. I used the nonword "unexplainable" rather than "inexplicable". And "neurologist" rather than "urologist". It's crazy how I'll be going about my day and it will just pop into my brain suddenly--"Hey, you used the wrong word on that blog post." Weird. Must be that often when I'm writing during the day, I'm conscious of the fact that someone will need me momentarily, even though Daddy is out there holding down the fort. He isn't interest in blogs--even this one--but he does allow me time during the day to come in and record my random thoughts. I must come out of here more relaxed, maybe?

He'll start computer-tech school in July and currently still has the two part-time jobs, both of which are second shift for three hours each time. My life will become a whole lot crazier soon enough. A full-time job will come up hopefully soon, and along with school, it'll mean he is out of the house most of the time. God is really using this time to get me connected to more moms online, who really have Godly wisdom to share, humbly and with love. I'm so grateful for your blogs, Moms! Stay-at-home moms are so isolated! Even getting to a Bible Study is a monumental task with four kids--one of whom is an on-demand nursing baby! With so many moms wanting and willing to share about what God is doing in their lives, I get plenty of Bible Study online, complete with the accompanying Bible verses to jot down and use for reflection and prayer time. It's a beautiful thing!

Anyway, I wanted to run in here and quickly record one of Emily's funny quotes. To set it up, I must start with the fact that Daniel just loves nature--especially learning about and running after insects and amphibians. ADHD/ADD kids usually have something in their lives on which they hyperfocus. For Daniel, that is life science. He finds amphibians and insects around our yard, at the park with Daddy, and in the nearby drainage ditch (aka "the frog pond" LOL).

Every spring, summer and fall, my house is full of insect containers and makeshift frog/toad containers. One such frog container has been in the dining room, by the back door, for a few weeks now. It contains baby frogs and the insects he catches for them. It's a container that Don bought for Daniel at a pet store, with a snap-on lid. It is full of muddy water and mud, both of which I fear will ruin our nearly-white carpet. The carpet didn't look that white when we saw a small square of it at the carpet place. Beware of using small square samples as a guide in choosing new carpet. Really, it seemed beige more than anything else.

But I digress. Daniel keeps carrying that container around, and I find it in the playroom or in his room every few days. I fully support him in his interests, but carrying around that filthy container just isn't allowed. So I keep saying, with a not-very-patient voice, that the filthy contents could easily spill and ruin the carpet. "Please keep it on the back-door carpet!"

Well, yesterday, it was at the back door where it is supposed to be, and Daniel opened it up to show Emily the frogs. Emily is always picking up the bigger frogs from the big aquarium we have outside-- for Daniel's creatures. She is a real tomboy actually, while still having that nurturing femininity. I was very surprised when she responded to Daniel--in all seriousness--with the word "Filthy!". I burst out laughing! Listening to her imitate me sounded so funny. It was also a humble reminder that they pick up on our attitudes so quickly. I'm not partial to touching frogs myself, but I really DO want my children to love nature!

I love that my kids can touch bits of nature here. When we lived in California, Daniel once picked up a black widow spider, sending us to the Urgent Care, where they decided it probably hadn't bitten him. What a relief it has been to be in Ohio, where harmless wild life is abundant in our yard--katydids, praying mantises, various beautiful spiders, amphibians, squirrels, chipmunks, non-poisonous snakes (see those infrequently), and an array of birds. What a blessing, God!

Reflecting on this reminds me, God, to thank you for all of it! Thank you for these precious, curious children--for their noise, their messes, their liveliness, their sense of wonder. May they grow in knowledge of you daily, by delighting in your creations. You are an awesome God! May we as parents reflect your love daily, despite the adult concerns that often cloud our vision. May we more often see the world, and our lives, as simply as our children do. We have much to learn from them. Thank you that they sharpen us--help to sanctify us. In your name, Amen!