the epiphany of the week...

I have learned something this week. I guess the more appropriate phrase would be I have re- learned something this week. I have learned how much more fun somethings are with a child.

First example the movie Prince Caspian that has come out to the theatres. Now of course I went the first night, in fact I was the third person in the theatre. I saw the movie with some friends, but it was nothing compared to when I took Fletcher. Fletcher is one of the twins I sometimes watch and have watched since he was 6weeks old. He is now 7 and had a rough time of it this school year, so I started buying him books that he might actually want to read and Caspian had been redone into an easy reader and he loved it, so as a reward I took him to the movie. Now, I've read the book a few times and had even read the book earlier in the week so I could be properly prepared to cut the movie to size when it deviated from the book. Needless to say it did and the first night I saw it I was unhappy, but when I took Fletcher to see the movie something changed.

First I am glad that the theater was huge and that there were at most 15 of us there. Fletcher asked tons of questions that couldn't be answered yes or no all the time, and some of them were good questions. Questions like why does Miraz want Caspian dead and why does Miraz want to be king? These are all good questions and there were lots more as the movie went on, but as the movie went on I found myself watching Fletcher instead. I was worried that the violence would be to much for him, and it was because he crawled into my lap and stayed there for the rest of the movie right before High King Peter dueled Miraz. But the best part for me was watching Fletcher realize what was happening when Aslan came back. There was a light that was unmistakable and Fletcher got it. He suddenly knew that things would be okay because Aslan had returned to Narnia.

There were no more questions after that except when could we see it again, and when was the next movie coming out? He got the fact that Aslan had saved Narnia and that things would be as they should. It was fabulous listening to him on the way home talking about Aslan and Reepicheep. He even had the sword slashing down.

I confess after seeing the movie with grown ups that I was disappointed, but after watching the movie with Fletcher, I get it a but more. They ideas that Lewis wanted to get across are there and they are strong, I still however disagree with the down playing of Aslan.

My second epiphany this week happened on a trampoline with a 3yr old. Now by default she has more energy than me on her worst days and this was one of those days. There was an almost constant flow of snot from her nose and whining was more in line with the tone of her voice than actual words. But the minute she hit that trampoline it was all business and if I did not jump high enough or fast enough than I heard about it. Also I was rewarded with a thumbs up from her if I did it her way.

Now I always have an amazing time with Caroline. She has grown into this sassy little girl who literally yells "Miss Stina" when I walk into the house and then runs at me full speed screaming and laughing. I too cannot help but laugh. She is hilarious and I adore every minute I get with her. The jumping tonite reminded me that she will not always want my company inside the trampoline, and sooner still she will not want me to push her on the swing. I hope however that I will forever be Miss Stina. Her laughter echos through the quiet, well manicured neighborhood that sometimes I think we will get in trouble for being so loud, but how can we stop laughing? How can I tell her that her life won't always allow for loud laughter? I cannot, so for now we jump on the trampoline and I too give over to the loudness and the insanity that comes from the thoughts of a 3yr old.