Parker and Little Georgie

Donovan made a pet grizzly bear out of rocks at school this week. He painted the stones and then hot glued them together with a piece of brown felt representing the torso.

He was so taken with it. He formed an immediate loving attachment to protect and care for it. And so did Weston. When Donovan went to school on Friday Weston promised to babysit Parker the loveable grizzly. So Parker sat down to play Candyland with Weston and I - and WON. And then he even played almost a whole game of Monopoly with Weston and I and owned more property than anyone else. Weston wouldn't let Parker pay him the whole rent when Parker landed on Weston's property. I, however, was not so gracious; I made him pay fair and square 'cause that was easiest for me and I was losing.

Then Weston decided to make a little brother for Parker. He found some stones and Daddy found some fur-like material to be the body. They painted and then hot glued and that was the birth of "Georgie." Now Parker and Georgie each have a room with a bed and an egg carton closet full of toys.

When my boys behave like this they are so tender and charming. They are more considerate with their stone pets than they are with each other. It really brings out the best in them.

We are almost done reading Madeleine L'Engle's "Many Waters". It's actually quite an adolescent book and some things are above their heads, but they get it. They understand the conflict between the nephim and the seraphim and remember all their names much better than I do. Again it's a story about two brothers and that is easy for them to connect to.

After "Many Waters" we hope to get through "Elijah", which is the Newberry award winning book I selected on Weston's Scholastic book order, as opposed to the potty humor "Super Diaper Baby" one he picked. Suffice it to say we've already read the crass cartoon one four times now and I SO GLAD Dave and I get to choose the night reading.

Donovan was so inspired by "Parker" that he dedicated a story to him called: "Darrell, the Horse that Knew True Love." It's so sweet. Donovan is writing and illustrating the little 40 page book without prompting. They are studying story at school and he's got one going there, but this is all of his own volition. Now I'm glad his teacher doesn't give him homework. Last year his homework did seem petty and just a strange chore to get through before he could do something he really wanted. But this... no homework, but encouraging creative endeavors... (endeavor, meaning: earnest and industrious effort, esp. when sustained over a period of time). -He's working on it all the time!

So... today I learn from my boys. Sometimes you need an object of affection, even from your imagination to bring out the best in you and do creative things for.