Conversations and Waste-Water Facilities

I love being a mom for a lot of reasons: getting to pinch cheeks (whichever ones I want) whenever I want without question. Tickle snacks (Hannah coined this one) at any time. Hide n' go seek. Peek a boo. Snuggles. Smiles for no reason. "Iron-Man" Kitty Cats (Jonny's newest alter-ego). And being a first-hand observer of a soul taking shape.

This morning, I'm savoring that privilege.

Every morning on our way to school, we pass a waste-water facility and it's really stinky. This morning, Hannah noticed the smell and asked about the plant. I told her what it was and how it helped our community by keeping us safe from dangerous germs. That led to a conversation about other places that don't have the blessing of clean water. Which led to a conversation about Lemlem, one of the kids we support in Ethiopia. Hannah wanted to know if she had clean water. I told her that Lemlem had clean water, but was in danger of a dangerous disease called AIDS because people give away their bodies in love before they are married, and then can get this sickness. We talked about how God loves us and made a way for us to be safe, and how we send missionaries to Lemlem's town to teach them about God's ways and to help them to be safe. Which led to a conversation about marriage and how much Daddy and I love each other because we love Jesus and He helps us to treat each other with love and forgiveness instead of selfishness. Which led to a conversation about choosing a husband that doesn't just say that he loves Jesus, but shows that he loves Jesus in everything he does. Which led to the best part of all when Hannah said, "I don't want to grow up and move away from you and Daddy. I just want to live with you forever and for our family to always be like it is with Jonny and Caleb."

Do they really have to grow up???

Jonny and I went outside when I got home from taking Hannah to school and scraped the frost on our patio table. I don't know why, but there is something instinctual about a kid wanting to scratch their fingers into frost and taste it--I remember enjoying the feel of frost collecting under my fingernails and licking the little tidbits I could collect off of the ice cream cartons and frozen juice cans from the freezer in the grocery store. Can anyone relate, here??? I never instructed my kids into the art of frost-scraping, but they've become experts! Anyway, Jonny and I enjoyed ourselves on our patio table this morning and thought you'd like to see it!

Our lawn covered in the first frost!!!

This one's for Jerry and Anita Goodall--thanks again for sending Wendy out to see us!!! The kids helped me make the cookies. They also helped sample them!!! :)