Long Live the Crocodiles!
I woke up pretty sore that morning. Leftovers from playing hockey with the boys in the gym Tuesday afternoon after Bob begged me to participate.
“I’ll go easy on you,” he promised.
It was one of those particularly fine May days. The kids were pretty dead set on playing outside after carpool, so we hit the great outdoors for some chilly wind and sunshine. Puck and Big J chased each other around the jungle gym under clouds that were almost August in nature. August clouds are about the best.
Back home, a box of birthday surprises from Uncle Paul and Aunt Kitty waited for Puck on the porch. High-flying boomerang/frisbee toys, which Puck put to immediate use with a neighbor buddy outdoors before dinner.
Inside with me, Yali strapped the super hero cape around his neck and began producing his own sound effects, hand motions included, while I prepped the meal. Occasionally he would call out to me for approval:
“Ma! Ma! Ooh Wah Ha Ha Ha!”
Eventually, when he disappeared to the living room, I found him punching one of Puck’s school pencils through the cushion of a foot stool. Sometimes I think he can’t wrap up the day until he completes his personal checklist of mayhem:
“Destruction of Personal Property.”
Check.
Dinner was quiet for a few minutes as all three boys tore into plates of grass-fed burgers and tons of fresh carrots and celery. Eating moments are about the only quiet moments around here. Even Yali is working on his veggies more these days. Tuesday night Puck tried to help him by chomping straight through a celery stick to show him how good it was. Yali dried his tears of protest, laughed at Puck, and also took a bite of celery.
“Am I a good brother, Mom?” Puck asked me, still gnawing on the celery.
“You are, son. Never had any doubts.”
As the evening started, Puck finished writing the final paragraph of his cursive research paper at the kitchen table, concluding with the following sentiments:
“It makes me mad that the Nile crocodile is endangered. However when I read Proverbs 12:10 it calms me down. Since I’m so mad right now, I guess I’ll write it for you. … Oh, and by the way, long live the crocodiles!”