It Rhymes!

If you've ever spent time with a four-year-old, you'll recall that rhymes, when discovered, provide an endless source of creativity for the little mind. And, if I can be perfectly blunt, it can get on your last nerve and make you want to swerve around a curve.

Joel has just started to rhyme. He goes around most of the day saying, "Does dog rhyme with hog?" I say, "Yes, it does." He asks,"Does floor rhyme with door?" "Uh-huh," I say. Then it continues. "Hug-bug, climb-time, yell, 'pell (which means spell or smell, depending on context)." Sometimes the rhymes get made up. "Does vehicle rhyme with mehicle?"

Yesterday he was listening to the radio in the van on the way to church. He has been a musician since he was in God's mind. What thrilled him to pieces was hearing the lyrics at the end of each line.

"Love and above! That rhymes!" The glee on his face was priceless. Suddenly the joy of knowing that this child, whom I'd ask God to gift as a musician and evangelist, was listening so intently to worship lyrics that he picked up on the rhymes.

I am so happy right now. Epiphanies found vicariously.

Nothing's Changed

The whole family's had some sort of virus or bacterial infection for a while. I finally couldn't bear Joel's misery any more and took him to the doctor yesterday. (The visits are $90, which was a major deterrant to running there sooner.)

The pediatrician diagnosed bronchitis with sinusitis and gave us a generous amount of free samples. Joel has taken two doses so far.

He just crawled into my lap.

"Joel, how are you feeling since you starting taking that medicine?"

"Um...nothing has changed in my life," he said.

What Starts with "M"?

A few nights ago I was asking Joel (newly 4) if he wanted to learn to read.

"Yes!" he said, enthusiastically.

"Good" I said, remembering this pinnacle of homeschooling with my older three children and loving the prospect of getting to teach yet another one to read.

"Reading starts with sounds of letters," I explained. "Like 'b' says 'buh'. Can you think of some words that start with "buh?" He said, "Ben, boy, booger..."

"Right!" I said.

"How about "t"?" I pronounced the T sound. He said, "Toy, time, truck."

"Right!" I said, "you're catching on fast. How about M? It says "mmm". What word do you know that starts with "mmm"?"


"Delicious!" he answered.