Good Questions

Probably the most telling sign of David and Gabriel maturing is their level of conversation and particularly, the questions they have been asking.  It makes me so excited to see how much they remember and learn now and how they put concepts together.

David has been asking about the baby.  He is very concerned about "what is going to be the babies name".  They shoot down all of my ideas for which they have other associations. "Joey is a monkey!"  "No, peanut is a food" Pretty much any normal name is out, according to them. :)  When we ask them for suggestions we get all sorts of nonsense words.  Bodo is a favorite at the moment.  Also Squid, which caught on yesterday.  David also wants to know "Can the baby come out now?"  "Why not?"

They have a lot to learn yet about babies though!  Last night we had friends over who put their youngest babe down to sleep in our room.  Gabriel went in there and came running out startled "Mommy there is someTHING in there!"  Of course he woke up the baby.  A sign of things to come?

Gabriel has been asking "Why did Jesus have to die?"  Gabriel is so sweet.  He first brought this topic up again (which hasn't been discussed since Lent) during Mass two weeks ago.  I had stood up with him to take him to the back due to bad behavior.  He calmed quickly though and I directed him to look at the Alter.  He did and then after a minute said "Mommy, is Jesus dying on the Cross right now?"  I was shocked.  This is in fact what Catholics believe.  The celebration of the Mass is not just worship or remembering ... it is the perpetual sacrifice of Jesus where we witness and participate in the greatest act of love ever, the miracle of the Last Supper.  I can only attribute the astute observation to the Holy Spirit and while I tried to answer him succinctly and simply in that moment, I told him we would discuss it more later.

Gabriel has continued to be very interested in this topic.  One day before nap, we snuggled and talked about it for about five minutes (which is long for a child!) and when we got to the end Gabriel gestured to the Crucifix above his bed and said "BUT WHY did Jesus have to die!?"  (He was frustrated as if I hadn't been explaining this for five minutes!) Because He loves us.  Because He loves you.  Back to the simple answer.  But the discussion was very interesting and telling of how much they are beginning to understand.

It is hard to know how much to tell them.  About the Crucifixion.  About Heaven.  We have never discussed with the boys, the injuries to Jesus.  We call them boo boos.  The bad men gave Jesus boo boos and killed Him.  Gabriel wanted to know where His boo boos were.  And he was asking about the bad men.  Gabriel didn't like hearing that we can all be like the bad men who hurt Jesus, when we hurt each other and do things to make Jesus sad.  But pleasing Jesus seems to be something he is excited about now and lends a new depth to why he shouldn't hit his brother.   What do you do?  What do you think?

Mostly when I talk about death with the boys it is in relation to a danger.  And while we have talked about heaven, I have been careful not to connect it to death.  Part of me is afraid they will stick the pin in the outlet if i make heaven seem too great!  But maybe I should offer them a full understanding.  St Therese's parents often spoke to her of heaven when she was very little and she was SO excited to go there... all her life.

Lots of other questions and curious behavior.  Hardly a day goes by when they don't take something apart.  Dishwasher tray wheels are a big favorite of late.  They are also much more attuned to feelings and perceiving feelings in others.  They will ask me now "Why is that person sad/mad?"  They will tell me often that I am "making them really angry!" Hahaha.