Little Ears

Sometimes I forget just how much Punky listens in when MacGyver and I are just discussing random everyday things. I'm a little ashamed of myself for forgetting sometimes what an aware and perceptive little person we share the house with. Then yestderday I got a reminder.

We sat down to an awesome dinner prepared by my skilled chef of a husband - delicious orange sesame stir-fry veggies with three different grilled fish filets, salmon, mahi mahi, and talapia. [Hubby is on a mission to find seafood I will eat - so far the list includes shark, which I've always loved, some oysters, and, as of last night, mahi mahi]. ANYWAY, we sat down to a nice family dinner. We used to do these a minimum of 5 nights a week, but with my training schedule this number has dropped to whichever weeknights I'm home early enough and most Sundays. As we usually do for family dinners, we lit the Chalice [http://www.Uua.Org], and said a free-form prayer.

As UU's, our prayers are a bit grab-bag. As a Pagan UU, I usually address my prayers to "Mother in Heaven," "Mother Earth," or some sort of Great Spirit. MacGyver, who was raised Catholic, prays to "Father in Heaven," and Punky generally prays to "God." The first time she tried to mimic me, she addressed her prayer to "Mother in Law," lol! She has also taken to trying to beat us to the punch on the things we often offer thanks for. It's really quite cute. Last night, though, totally took the cake. Her prayer:

"Dear Mother in Heaven" [score one for Mommy] "thank you for [a long list of things MacGyver and I typically give thanks for - family, friends, warm beds, food, wine - really, and so on] please be with those who can't be with us [another of my favorite lines] and please help Mommy to not get recycled and please help Daddy finish the bathroom SOMETIME. Amen."

MacGyver and I just about died. It was hysterical. A little back info in case it's needed: Getting recycled at TBS means you have to start the training over again for some reason, like an injury that you have to recover from before you can complete. Getting recycled would be HORRIBLE. But I'm pretty sure I've never actually told Punky about it, ha. And the bathroom . . . Oh heavens.

Our master bathroom was AWFUL when we moved in. It was a yellowy-beige with blue countertops and a hand painted, Whinnie the Pooh looking, cartoon tree painted all over the one open wall. Complete with gaudy fake birdhouse nailed to the wall. And the leaves were two shades of green, pink, yellow, and light blue. It was gross. MacGyver made quick work of painting it and redoing the countertops and accessories. It looks unbelievable. It is now a dark grey with stone accents and counters. I recently founf the perfect showercurtain to complete the forest waterfall feel, and MacGyver just rigged up the fancy new dual showerheads - too cool. The only thing left to do is to put in the shelving. MacGyver is going to run shelves all the way around the room at the top that I am then going to OVERFLOW with plants, including over and hanging down into the shower. The shelves are the ONLY thing left. The problem? The shelves have been the Only thing left for a number of weeks. And we can't finish the master bedroom and office until after the shelves are up. I am chomping at the bit to say the least. And, apparently, Punky has caught on, lol.

So the prayer was too funny. And it was just another on a long list of constant reminders of just how smart and grown up Punky is getting.

In other news, since I'll be in the field the next couple days and won't be able to post:

we're on the downward slope at TBS now. We only have 70 days till graduation, and only 35 of those are training days after weekends and holidays are subtracted out. WOOHOOO!!!!

AND I'm getting the IUD out in about 20 days. Even bigger WooHoo. Probably won't be talking about our conception journey until we actually concieve because I'm so paranoid about jynxing it, but I will say that we will be starting soon, and are SUPER EXCITED. And we've been practicing every chance we get!

Talk to u all Monday!