Sunday, December 18, 2011

God versus the dinosaurs

It's a week before Christmas and I feel that I am quite a bit less frenzied than most. Christmas shopping is done (I think), the house is decorated, and our tree is crooked in true Leathers fashion. I've tried fixing it 15 times, and it seems to lean more and more each time. Scott has been working too much to care. Putting a dead tree in the living room and hanging ornaments on it has always seemed a little strange to me anyway so this just adds to my uncertainty. Christmas music has been on at all times, my favorite being, "Baby, It's Cold Outside" and I imagine being in the city and visiting my boyfriend...I need to leave and he wants me to stay and have more hot chocolate. Imagination never killed anyone.

Scott bought me an iPhone for Christmas. I know this because, suddenly, my Android quit working and when I called Verizon to troubleshoot, the lady confirmed that I am using the iPhone 4. I corrected her with some confusion at first, and then looked at Scott and realized he bought me the iPhone and the sales person must've activated it, accidentally. Whoopsie. So he ended up giving me the phone, in complete annoyance. I didn't activate it because, really, I wanted the iPhone 4S. So it has sat in the laundry room for 2 weeks. I've been convinced I'm not getting the 4S. Until today when Scott left to finish his Christmas shopping. I ran out at the last minute to ask him to pick up some pictures I had developed at Walgreens. When I opened his car door, I saw the Verizon bag sitting on the floor. I looked at him, trying to pretend I didn't see it and then, I couldn't help it anymore, I started laughing uncontrollably. He looked at me with disgust, not laughing. I muttered out the favor I needed and slammed the door shut, walking away, still laughing.

On a positive note, this Christmas I signed Emma and I up to be bell ringers for the Salvation Army. If you haven't done this, you should. It's extremely boring and you have to ring the bell for 2 long hours, but Emma enjoyed it, asked lots of questions about why we were doing it, what the money was for, etc. It was nice, not to mention, 2 hours I spent with her doing absolutely nothing except ringing a bell. After two hours I had a headache, but it went away with a few Advil. We've done other charitable things, but this is something new this year.

A few days ago Emma asked me if God lived before or after the dinosaurs. Now, my religious beliefs are mostly religious doubts, but I try not to inflict my feelings about church, the Bible, or any holiness subjects onto my children. Raising atheists at 2 and 7 years of age isn't exactly my plan in raising these two. Plus, I flip flop quite a bit, and I'm trying to be more open to the idea of God, and I've been pretty good with it lately. However, that Emma was working out in her mind how God could have created everything if dinosaurs lived before him was pretty ingenious to me. I was proud of her, but a little overwhelmed. I suggested she read a book. I don't know what book, but I can't try to sell her something that I don't completely believe myself. I started thinking as quickly as possible, so I mentioned to Emma that maybe we will go to church on Christmas Eve. It's a bit of a change of subject, but my hands were tied. I knew she wouldn't be overly excited, but what I didn't expect was this:

Me: Emma, maybe we should go to church on Christmas Eve.
Emma: What?! WHY would I want to spend my Christmas Eve at CHURCH??
Me: (mostly mortified, somewhat entertained) Em, do you know why we celebrate Christmas?
Emma: No. Me (shoot.) Lou, we celebrate Christmas because it's Jesus' birthday.
Emma: Well, then why do WE get presents??
Me: (thinking she is quickly becoming a Jehovah's Witness, and not having a great answer): Because that's what he would have wanted. (For the record, I do know about the 3 kings.)
Emma: Well, then what does Santa have to do with it?
Me: Ummm...Santa delivers the presents.

So, it looks like we are going to church on Christmas Eve.

This is a picture of Emma and Olivia in Chicago last night. Olivia refusing to look at the camera. She didn't even care that much about the trains.
And Olivia still not cooperating. I think Becky told her Dorothy was there so she turned around for a second, refusing to look at me.

2 comments:

  1. I have a gift for you at Christmas, and you have a gift for me. Next we see each other, you will know what they may be!

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  2. I have missed your blogs. They are always entertaining. Chad will be bringing to boys to church on Christmas eve. I figured I may burn if I walk in so I will be saying home this year.

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