Mixed Emotions

Today I might have been nicknamed Crazy Auntie. While the older kids’ class met quietly in the dining room working math problems with Uncle David, I had the joy of making lunch. Well as not to be distracted by enticing multiplication problems and to keep my mixing hands moving, I put in my ear buds to listen to the last weeks podcast of “Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me.” Oh Carl Kassell….sigh!
Right where was I? Oh yes, laughing at “Wait, Wait.” And not chuckling to myself, but bending over with glee. The kids just stared and giggled at me. Then I started chopping onions. Tears came straight away and still I was laughing. The kids didn’t know what was going on. She’s loosing it had to be on their minds. Of course, the clincher for my new status came when I explained my laughter by saying, “The voices I heard made me laugh.” Next time I’ll have to be more careful with my words…and my emotions before they take me away.

Speaking of crazy things, have you ever thought about the animal kingdom? I mean seriously, Noah’s ark must have been quite the sight with aye-aye and their BIG eyes, sloths just h a n g i n g so slowly. Really, is it possible to hang that slowly? And then there are the animals I’ve seen recently. A big blonde of a dog that reaches my belly button while he stands on all fours and the hummingbird with super fast wings and ultra quick heart beat. The weirdest and craziest by far are the ants and turtles, one I saw on the big screen and the other on the street. Turtles have super sensing smellers, I guess, because it crawled into its shell before danger even drew near. Then as the threat retreated, just it’s head came out. Like a football with a beady-eyed tail. On top of it all, check out the name. TURTLE. Say it five times fast. Turtle, turtle, turtle, turtle, turtle. Yikes! The ants were just as survival oriented as the turtle, except that they move in masses to devour their predator and east A HUMAN ALIVE! (If this grosses you out, close your eyes at the Indiana Jones movie.)

Finally, I have to mention my job as one of the craziest things ever. I mean who in their right mind hangs out with kids, travels the world, plays soccer, makes dinner, and praises God for their daily livelihood? Only the truly nutty!?

Such a thought reminds me of an exchange in Waking Ned Devine between Father Patrick and Maurice, a little boy with profound thoughts.
It goes something like this as they sit at the church organ:
M: Can you play songs by Jesus?
FP: No, I wish I could.
M: So, did he come to you then? Jesus?
FP: Jesus, well he did in many ways, yes.
M: But did you see him?
FP: Well not exactly no.
M: But you’re working for him.
FP: I am. And doing the best I can.
M: Do you get paid for it?
FP: Well, it’s more of the payment of the spiritual kind, Maurice.
M: Oh…right.
FP: Do you think you could be drawn to the church?
M: I don’t think so.
FP: Well you never know.
M: I don’t think I could work for someone I’ve never met and not get paid for it.