Pleading his case

Here is a tidbit from a conversation with Davian last night. We were on our way home from soccer practice when he threw a car from the rear seat in our TrailBlazer. It landed next to my seat in the front.

"Did you throw that?" I asked
Davian shakes his head no.
"DID you throw that?"
Davian shakes his head no, again.
"Davian, DID you THROW that?"
"Yes, Mommy." (We have had a problem with him lying to us lately)
"Well, when you get home you will have to get a spanking from the spanky spoon."
"No, Mommy, I don't like the spanky spoon."
Fast forward 10 minutes when we pull into our neighborhood.
"Mommy, am I going to get a spanking?" Why would you remind your parents about discipline??
"Yes, Davian, because you lied to Mommy."
"Do you still love me?"
"Davian, of course I still love you. That's why I punish you for lying, because lying is a sin."
"Well, Mommy, Jesus already died for my sins on a cross." So he HAS been listening.
"I know, Davian, that's why I can forgive you for lying to me."
"That's okay, Mommy, I forgive you, too."

Meerkats and Monkeys

It was a beautiful day here in NC today!

After getting up at 8:30 (considered "sleeping in" here), we were able to make it out the door by 10:00. I was excited to take the boys to the Natural Science Center. We hadn't been there in quite some time and I just knew they would love it. The NSC has rocks, a dinosaur exhibit, a play area, and best of all, live animals outside.

Davian, however, was not as excited as me. "Why aren't we going to the real museum, Mommie?" Apparently, the Children's Musuem is the only real museum in town. After convincing him that this, too, is a museum and that he would enjoy it, we entered the NCS. Apparently, this is a hot place during spring break as well as for school field trips from other counties. After coaxing the boys through the crowd of big kids, we were headed for the outside exhibit of animals.

We barely made it through the doors leading outside before they were off and running to the meerkats! "Doggies!" squeals Tegan. I loved seeing their little noses pressed against the glass enclosures. Luckily for us, the animals were very active today.

Davian led us to the petting zoo. They have several sheep and a few goats that the kids are able to pet. The boys loved petting both animals and were offered to brush them, but being city boys they declined. They got in a couple more pets before running off to the next stop.

We were then off to see the tigers. One tiger, especially, was putting on a show. He paced back and forth along the edge of the viewing area to the great delight of the boys. They ran back and forth along side the tiger hoping to keep pace with him. Shortly, they realized that the tiger was much more interested in the salmander crawling along then rock, so we moved on.

Next, Tegan lead us to his favorite spot...the monkeys. Tegan LOVES monkeys. He ooh-ooh aah-aahs and walks like a monkey. One of his teachers at school gave him a gorilla that sings "Wild Thing" and plays the guitar because Tegan threw a FIT when she tried to take it from his room at school. He was mesmorized by the very active monkeys at the NSC. He stood enthralled with the monkey who was just as enthralled with Tegan for about 10 minutes. Davian, meanwhile, was begging to go inside and play. But, stubborn Tegan refused to move until the monkey walked away. This was surely the highlight of the day for my sweet Tegan!

After dragging Tegan away from the monkeys, we went inside to play at the water table and grocery store. Soon, the boys were begging to leave for lunch and naps! Gotta love the NSC for suffiently exhausting the boys!

The first post!

Well, I have taken the plunge, so to speak. After much deliberation (and hesitation), I decided that I will blog. We'll see how long this lasts. I have deeply enjoyed reading friends' blogs and figured this might be a way to record the going-ons of our family. Besides, I am on spring break so I have loads of time on my hands, right? That may all change next week.

This first post will be short. I will give you some insight into the hearts of my children:

• "Mommie, we have to make a welcome to our family picture for Henry. I will draw him a picture of me, Tegan, Will, and Henry playing together. Then I will pick him out some books. I sang to him, Mommie. I love him!" -Davian, age 4 (Henry is the 1 week old son of a dear, dear friend and Davian's best friend's new brother)
• "Tank kou, Mommie." -Tegan, age almost 2

God has blessed me with two tender hearted little boys. I am not always so tender-hearted with them, but they continually forgive me for my short comings. I am learning about God's unending forgiveness as I navigate through parenting these two precious gifts. My deepest prayer is that they can see a sliver of God's love for them through me.