Brian, Noah & Elijah in the Jeep on the way home. Mysterious Ways by U2 comes on.

Noah: What is that sound they’re doing?
Brian: It’s a guitar. The guy playing is called The Edge.
Noah: The Edge?
Brian: Yes. And the singer’s name is Bono. Just Bono.
Noah: I’ll just call him Nick.
Brian: Nick? Okay, what about The Edge?
Elijah: Cliff.

*******

Brian, Kristi, Noah & Elijah on the way to the fair.

Noah: Guess what I say when I’m surprised.
Brian: Great scott!?
Noah: Yep!
Elijah: Guess what I say.
Brian: Wowzers?
Elijah: No.
Brian: Holy cow?
Elijah: No.
Noah: Holy s%*@ ?
Brian: Um…no.

If you have kids you know that every now and then you run across what smart people call “teaching moments.” I think we had one the other day and, being super-dad, I chose to jump at it.

Out of the blue Noah asked, “Dad, what does sacrifice mean?” He had been studying Cain and Abel and the sacrifices they made to God.

My chest swelled, my mind raced and I spent the next 2-3 minutes talking with him about the meaning of the word in the larger Christian context. At the end of the conversation I asked a final question.

“So what did Jesus sacrifice?” I said, waiting for a great answer.

“I don’t know. A goat?” Noah replied.

“Yes, I said. Probably at some point.”

A teaching moment, except it was for me. Again.

Recent goodness from Elijah.

Eyebob = Eyeball
“I’m breaking them to pizzas.” = “I’m breaking them to pieces.”
Escavator = Escalator
Uhaw = Utah
Ooleegee = Luigi

I saw him picking is nose and asked if he needed a tissue. He didn’t answer. I asked again. He replied, “No, I just put it back in the nose.”

——-

And from Noah.

After watching a show on PBS where a dog had eaten a sock, Noah recapped what was going on:

“They’re taking the dog to the vet because he ate a sock and they’ve got to get it out of his butt veins…or somethin’.”

What do you say to that?

And then my favorite. I overheard Noah explaining something to Elijah so I listened in (it’s usually pretty interesting):

“God is with you. He’s everywhere. He’s here beside me, over there, in the whole house. He’s always with Dad. He gives you everything you need. Pizza. Peppermints. Everything. You. Need.”

Made my day.

——-

Need a good laugh? Watch this. So true. So, so true.

Lots going on with us.

As most of you (hopefully) know by now, I resigned from my job recently in order to devote time to both the goals of Innate Productions and some personal projects. My last day at my current job is May 31.

I guess you can call it a leap of faith, but I’m beginning to wonder about that phrase. I guess I’m wondering why my faith must take leaps in order to be what it is supposed to be. Let’s just call this another step in faith. I don’t think we’re leaping so much as we are just doing what we think God is asking us to do.

I can’t say enough about my co-workers. This is the best job I’ve ever had. It’s also the most difficult. But looking back over over a year’s worth of journal entries, it’s obvious that my departure was coming sooner rather than later.

What will I do next? First I’m desperately trying to finish up artwork for this year’s Impact. Working with David Skidmore on this has been a blast. Second, I’ll spend a week at Short Mountain with Tusculum at their summer camp. I’ll also be working on several other projects over the next few months that will hopefully see the light of day very soon. Much to do, including setting up a non-profit. More news soon!

It’s been a while since I’ve added any Noah-isms or E-bonics. But the guys have had a few good ones lately, so here you go. This collection is rated PG-13, I think, but I edited the content for various reasons. We got a PG rating upon review.

While each were eating a grape sucker (but not realizing it was grape), they each described the flavor.
Elijah: Purple Limeade
Noah: Blueberry Rootbeer

Elijah was asked if he wanted a Coke or Mellow Yellow slush. “Mallow Lallow,” he said.

And finally, while sitting at the table playing with himself, Elijah stands up and says, “My p***s is big. Wanna see?”

“No,” I said. “Now eat your lunch.”

For those of you with no boys in the house, you’re likely horrified right now. Just realize that’s the way it goes. I have no idea where he learned that word, either. We just try to not laugh and therefore encourage such behavior when it occurs (we fail). It took a few more hours to get him to stop running around the house, playing with his army men, saying, “Ow, he hit my p***s,” as one army man attacked another.

And in a weird parenting sort of way, I’m so gloriously thankful for all of it. There were many problems, honestly, bringing these two boys into existence (and keeping one here after he arrived). See Kristi’s blog post about just some help we had along the way – even random help. We now pray every night, read our Bible every day, read books (good novel-types) all the time, play baseball in the back yard, treat ourselves to Sonic for silly celebratory reasons, listen to rock music really loud and dance around, eat Noah-planned suppers consisting of pickles, black olives and mac & cheese, and have a great life all-told. My kids are best friends with each other, I’m best friends with Kristi and we, above all things, stress a love for God more than anything else. He did create blueberry rootbeer, after all. He must love us a lot.