Bashful Benjamin

Cookies & Candid Conversations

Cameron ate her first Oreo. She really liked it.

She also really likes chocolate pudding {she takes after her mother}.

Don't worry. Ben got some chocolate pudding, too.

That was after our morning theological discussion . . .

Me: Ben, did you know that God made you a perfect Ben?

Ben: Uh huh.

Me: And he made your eyes just so, and your mouth just right . . .

Ben: And my fingers and my toes?

Me: Uh huh. All of you, just perfect, a perfect Ben, made by God.

{long pause}

Ben: Mommy, you be Ms. Potato Head, and {getting louder, almost yelling} I be GOD!!!

Mommy: {thinking YIKES} Um, no, Ben. There's just one God. Just like there's just one Ben.

Ben: Well, now there's two.

Me: No, Ben. Just God is God. He's the only one.

Ben: Well, I want to see him.

Me: {stumbling here} You can't really see God with your eyes. But he's everywhere Ben, especially in your heart. He lives way up high, up above the sun and the moon. He's up higher than airplanes go, even higher than the space shuttles go.

Ben: Yeah. He's up there with Santa Claus.

Living the Good Life

We're still here, promise.

Almost all of the boxes are gone. We've officially moved {and I'm the happiest camper of all}. The old house still needs some scrubbing, but it will get done in the next few days, no hurry. Cameron has mastered the stairs at the new house, Ben has mastered the pool with the help of his Nemo floaties. Greg and I are happily bickering over the thermostats, and all is right with the world.

No more showings. Don't have to haul sleep-deprived children out during nap-time so that someone can traipse through my spotless little house. No faxing, scanning, emailing of financial documents to satisfy the loan agent. No more begging Greg to mow and edge again, so that the drive-up will be perfect. Okay, a little begging, but now I just want the new house to look perfect.

The new house held some surprises for us . . . The biggest is the small herd of nocturnal animals nesting {and dancing, I'm certain} in the attic. One of the three toilets is fully functioning. Hey, one is better than none! Lots of mice in the yard. The neighbors {who brought amazing brownies over} assure us that the little mice are a neighborhood-issue. I have taken a million and one pictures, and promise to get the very best to you soon. In the mean time, I'll leave with you a classic Ben story . . .

This a.m. he got up before the rest of us. Quietly. He snuck downstairs and settled in to the blue toile chair with his four cherished blankets and a bag of Oreos. I haven't a clue how many he ate before I discovered him. He declared it the "best bwekfest ever".