liturgy in utero

Cheek to belly pressed,
he speaks his sister
blessings,
the little priest.
A litany of baby love
he sings into the dark,
a brother monk.
"Big, strong baby girl!"
his final benediction:
Alleluia and amen,
my prophet son.

fruits and other four-year-old questions (11 weeks)

What is it now, Mommy?
Is it still a jelly bean?
Is it a grape now Mommy?
Mommy, will you tell me when it gets to be a dinosaur?
I can't wait until it's a dinosaur.
Mommy, what's a kumquat?
Can I kiss your belly, Mommy?
Mommy, I love you.

[mid-June 2012]

righteous dissatisfaction

In a four-year-old the cycle is fast: anger, sin, shame, repentance, forgiveness, and restoration all in the space of five minutes. Why do grown-ups take so long? We are satisfied to park ourselves at one of the first three stops for decades. Satisfied. Four-year-olds are never ever satisfied.