The Animals are Going to the Zoo!

Well, I can't say it was a sunny day...or warm, but it wasn't raining - so to the zoo we went, as promised. If you don't know, I love the zoo! Warrior Poets must learn and appreciate the beauty of God's creation. Let alone, it is one of the simplest ways for kids to understand God's awe-someness and the concept of His creativity. My dream occupation is to retire and be one of the "old guys" spouting knowledge at one of the exhibits for the kids. "Feel this fur..."

• Favorite moment - Bring It Boys! So far, Dad has outlasted them. All 3 were out and drooling on the ride there at 10am...fallout from the constant training as Warriot Poets.

• Zoo was fun. I'll spare you my desire to post every animal picture typical of a zoo, but will say that the Brookfield Zoo is pretty cool. We have our membership now, so will be going about 25 times in the next year. Nothing like a warm stroll through the zoo.

• Goose picture, about 6 inches from the stroller, is for Michelle - she'll totally appreciate this. (ask her about geese and swans sometime.)

• Taatjes favorite activity at the zoo, since he was about 18 months old, has been chasing peacocks. He was reunited with his nemesis today....they missed each other. Without missing a beat...he gave the people what they came to see.

• Benefits of emphasizing "obey the first time": I was with Teague in the stroller, so was a bit behind Trey and Taatjes. They kept asking why the sign by the rhinos say "watch out!". (if you've never seen, somehow the males "mark" territory straight out behind them.) I kid you not, it felt like slow motion. All of a sudden, the big rhino looking at them began to turn around...I shout "hey! Get over here!" they turn, look at me, and jog back. The other little girl was kind of freaked out by the strange man (with lines shaved in his face) yelling at her to get out of there. that rhino let loose, spraying everywhere! Boys missed it by about a foot....little girl...not so lucky. We all couldn't stop laughing!! Teague thought is was especialy hilarious. Our friend, at a calmer moment:
• We had so much fun...tried to trade our Taatje-monkey for a baboon with no luck, used Teague's ferocity to "out-growl" the hyenas, and relied on Trey for mapping and all animal knowledge.
• Best part: stopping at each African animal and letting the boys pray for Mom. So awesome to see their big hearts.

What do you miss most about Mom?
Taatjes: (in a blink) "All the fun."
Trey: "Going to downtown Chicago. Remember when I asked her to hold me and she let me sleep on her the whole train ride?" (you think they don't notice a Mom's love?)
Teague: "Cuhying her with my "mulaiy-toow" "What?"-Dad "He said cutting."-Taatjes "With what?"-Dad "my mulaiy-toow!"-Teague "Multi-Tool?"-Dad "yeah!"-Teague
Just so you know...I don't make this stuff up!

• Favorite Teague line for the week: "Hey! You can't talk like that to me!" (not sure where he got that...probably Michelle) :)
• Also - is this supposed to happen? (or...why crayons are better than markers:)
• Side Note: extra credit for Jeremy Lile. He got my trivia correct (first post) - "Yawp" was the barbaric yell of "aliveness" from Dead Poets Society, the original greatest guy movie ever.

2 Final Thoughts -

1. (a) The boys actually prayed that Mom would be a brave Warrior Poet...like William Wallace, today. Now that's funny stuff. (b) Teague heard Trey say "Heavenly Father", so now says "thank you for my Fodder" when he starts praying. Hard to keep it in!
   
2. I am having the time of my life....but the emotional exhaustion is remarkable. I really get the benefit of either "co-parenting", or play time in our regular life. It's the non-stop conflict resolution that wears you down. I feel like quite a rookie, compared to Michelle's mastery.

If this isn't livin', then somebody tell me what is! Have I said, yet, that I have the most incredible life?!