Stella Starts School

"I'm going to miss you tomorrow, Stella."

"I know. My cute little voice when I say prayers?"

***

And then at dinner we're talking about Stella finally getting to go to school. Little Gianna scoots next to me to say, "I'm going to miss Stella."

I think I'll make it in the morning without crying. But I don't think I'll last long if Gianna starts to cry because she misses her constant playmate of the last four years of her life.

Sent from my iPhone

A Childlike Faith

Stella informed me that God spoke to her in the middle of the night the other day.

"What did He say," I asked.

"He said, 'Do not be afraid.' And then Mary said, 'I'm praying for you and your sisters.' And then my Guardian Angel said, 'I'm watching out for you always.'"

Truly good news.

It's a Workout

Upon completing our ascent on some stairs out of Oak Creek Canyon in Sedona, Stella is a bit winded and sighs, "Whew! I'm breathtaking!"

Gianna concurs, "Me, too, I'm breathtasting."

***

After lunch the girls are talking in their bedroom, Stella leads the discussion, "OK, girls, girls: let's play...let's play 'Darling'!"

About John

What does little Johnny enjoy these days?

He likes to eat. He likes to sleep with a pacifier. He likes to follow his sisters around the house. He likes his dad.

He likes to wave. He likes to stand up. He likes it when the girls dote on him. He likes his dad.

He really likes his dad. He especially likes it when his dad punches him in the gut over and over until John smiles like a schoolgirl. John also like to be shot with fake guns.

He likes it when Jamie bursts into the room pretending to rain down artillery fire upon him mercilessly. But even more, he likes it when Jamie picks him up and stabs him in his little chest and twists the knife to the side to finish the job. Then John likes when his dad drags the knife up his chest and pulls out his fake little beating heart in his hand and holds it in front of John's face (signified by Jamie's pumping fist and the noise "gu-dung, gu-dung, gu-dung").

John really loves that.

They're Pretending

Stella's playing baby, Rowena's playing detective and Gianna's playing pirate. John's watching.

Gianna says to Rowena, "Mrs. Lump! Mrs. Lump! There are pirates in your yard!"

Noni gives a subdued, "Oh!" and goes to her front yard to...shush them.

Stella cries, "Me want out!" and Rowena sympathetically pats her and says, "Oh, honey!"