Had an ob appointment today. Things are progressing towards delivery. I was thankful for the news.
Nevin had a t-ball game tonight. After a loss last Thursday, his team was back in good form tonight. They won by a large margin. Before eating his sandwhich in the van on the way to the game, Nevin thanked God for it and included a request for help to “pay attention during the game.” For anyone who has been to a t-ball game, you can understand this request.
Calvin had a pitching machine game tonight, too. They had their first win of the season, and everyone was really happy.
Evangeline had a conversation with me tonight that made me ask the question, “When is the best time to explain sex/where babies come from to children?” She was sitting on my lap while I sang her lullaby before bed. Her tummy was laying on my tummy, and she felt the baby kick. She got a puzzled look on her face. I said, “Did you feel that?”
She said, “Yes.”
I said, “What do you think that was?”
She said, “The baby.”
I said, “Yes. Isn’t that funny?”
She agreed. Then she put her hand on the right side of my tummy and said, “I think her head is over here.”
I said, “I think her head’s a little lower and in the middle.”
She said, “I think she better move, or she’ll fall out.”
Not knowing what to make of this statement, I just said, “Hmmmm.” Then I put Evangeline to bed.
I’m up way too early (couldn’t sleep), so I’m catching up on some blogs. Your story of (and commentary on) Nevin’s prayer cracked me up!
Jon,
If you appreciated the commentary, you must have attended a t-ball game at some point in your life. Either that, or it was so early you were laughing because of lack of sleep.
Now that my brother is thirteen, I miss those t-ball and pitching machine games. I certainly “get” Nevin’s prayer :o)
Speaking of uninformed kids, I recently read a novel, “The Cape Ann,” in which a little girl thinks she is responsible for her cousin being stillborn because she didn’t catch the baby when the stork brought it.
In the novel, she confesses this “sin” to her priest. He gently tells her that there is no stork, but that God makes babies grow where they are most safe–inside the mother. A touching notion, and not too graphic. Of course, this kid was 7, not 3.
My friends say that we’re often inclinded to give little ones too much information about how things work when a simple answer will satisfy their curiosity. In your place, I guess I’d say, “God will keep the baby inside until the time is right.”
Laurel,
I like your response. I think I was just taken off guard at the moment by the what Evangeline said and its resemblance to the truth. Perhaps if it comes up again, I’ll have the foresight to know how to respond.
The book you mentioned is interesting to me. One I recently read (Stones from the River by Ursula Hegi) had an older sister feeling like she was responsible for the death of her infant brother because she wished for her mother not to have another baby.
Jennifer,
Yes, I’ve attended a t-ball game – even more than that, I played t-ball when I was that age. I still remember how aimless most of us were!