Sweet Memories, Some Thoughtful Words

February 3, 1998: Sarah fell at school last week and banged up her mouth and loosened a couple teeth. This morning, her mouth started bleeding again, and it didn't stop for a long time. She asked worriedly, "Do I have enough blood?" A little later she said, "It's never going to stop!" I was holding her later when she was sad, and I reminded her of a book we have called, "It's No Fun to Be Sick." I said, "It's no fun to be hurt either, is it?" She said, "Right now, I think hurt's worser than sick."

 

February 5, 1998: At lunch yesterday, Sarah went into the kitchen to get something. While she was in there, she said, "When I walk around in the kitchen, I feel proud, like I'm a lady."

 

February 10, 1998: The kids are going to a participatory theater this weekend, and Murray was showing them what it might be like, kind of growling at each of them. Sarah asked, "Do it again, use that stern voice."

 

February 16, 1998: This evening Murray and the three middle kids were coming home from the store. Rebecca said something mean to Murray, and then said in a mean way, "Oh, please forgive me." Murray said that he would if Rebecca really meant it, but she was just being mean. Sarah exclaimed, "Oh, Daddy, you're disforgiving."

 

February 16, 1998: Last night we were having hotdogs for supper. I was sitting in my rocking chair, Benjamin was at my feet, and Ping-Hwei was in the kitchen. I told Ping-Hwei to call Benjamin to come to him. He said, "Benjie, come here. Benjie, come here, I give you hotdog, eat."

 

This morning, Ping-Hwei was trying to scare me with the toy animals, like he always does. He showed me a turtle, and I pushed it away, like I was scared, like I always do. He said, "You love turtles. God made turtles."

 

This afternoon, when Murray got home, Sarah said, "Daddy, admire the house! We vacuumed it!"

 

March 2, 1998: We stayed at Jimmy's house this weekend, and all four big kids were sleeping in his living room. After everyone but Caleb was asleep, he said, "The girls are snoring." "I know honey," I said. "Like pigs," he finished matter-of-factly.

 

March 7, 1998: Last night the kids were talking about the circus, and what elephants do in the circus, and Rebecca talked about some tricks she saw at the circus, and then she asked, "Do you know what the tiger did?" "Eat people," Ping-Hwei suggested.

 

This morning Sarah was running between rooms talking, and she said, "I like to gallop when I'm happy, when I talk excitedly."

 

March 15, 1998: Rebecca and Sarah went for a little walk today. When they got back they were telling us all about it, and about how somehow Rebecca's shoe fell off, and Sarah said, "And it made me burst out laughing!"

 

One day last week Ping-Hwei was telling me how his computer wasn't working at school, and he said, "The computer no go to work."

 

Sarah had a substitute teacher one day last week, and when she came home, she said, "It was a much unnormal day."