How to pick the right man...

Today Camille and I were in the backyard. I was raking pine cones and she was telling me very creative stories. I couldn't always understand what she was saying with the noise of the rake, but I remember at one point she told me about how she would invent a new cell phone. She is oftening thinking about ways to improve the world, our home, our lifestyle, etc...Out of the blue she pronounced,"Mom, when I'm in college and I'm picking the man to marry, I'm not going to choose one of those guys that fool around." Me - "Oh, so you'll pick someone who works hard?" Her - "Yeah." I don't believe she knows the alternative connotation of "fool around," but I found her decision to be spot on either way.

Dinner Conversation

Tonight at dinner I asked Gwyneth, Elise, and Jeff to explain something about the play Oedipus Rex that we saw last week-end. This was at Phillips, and Scotty, the student we drive to church every Sunday, was Oedipus. I hadn't read this particular Sophoclean play in college, but I had read Antigone too many times to count. I couldn't figure out how the Sphinx was involved in Oedipus' fate. Gwyneth explained it to me; that Thebes had been plagued and the Sphinx challenged Oedipus to solve a riddle to save the people of Thebes from the plague. He did (it's the riddle, "what walks on four legs in the morning, two at noon, and three in the evening?), the people were cured, and crowned him king, married him unbeknownst to his mother, etc... How did I miss this?? Elise reminded me that the character who explained this bit in the play had dots painted all over her face!! Elise and I were at the 9 o'clock showing, and I had assumed that she was just being well-behaved in front of all the teenagers, not that she was actually following and understanding the play! I realized once again that I'm not too bright.

Celeste

Celeste has been doing a few cute things lately that I thought I should write down as she is sure to outgrow them someday. She loves to put little items in her clothes. If she is wearing a onesie she puts little dolls, dice, lipstick, markers or playing cards down the collar so that the shirt acts as a pocket. She also tries to convert her pant legs into pockets, but hasn't realized that they only make good pockets when you stay sitting. Lately she has also started to say "Jesus" and at fairly random times. Tonight "Jesus" means that I should sing "Jesus Wants Me For a Sunbeam." At bedtime I often sing her a simple lullaby, but tonight she insisted "Jesus!" Elise thinks I should add pictures because writing is just boring - maybe we'll try to video her making pockets...