Three things that are trying to kill me

1. Ava, the new baby I babysit. She's not actively trying to kill me, but she's definitely gunning for me with cuteness. Having a girl around is a whole different ballgame, and not just in the diaper arena (although I will say that after Ethan and my nephew, I've become accustomed to the extra equipment in the Pampers). Noah's a wreck, for one thing. She gave him a kiss on the cheek today and in return he gave her our camera to play with. Heaven help us if our next child is a girl.
2. Ethan's been very into theology and spirituality lately. Today, for instance, he picked up my Bible and was flipping through the maps in the back. When I explained one of them was the road that Jesus took, he said, "I wanna walk on it too, and then I talk to God for a few minutes." The whole talking to God thing has been a major topic of discussion. He asked, "Mommy, how do we get to God?" I said, "Well...God is everywhere..." (Noah interjected, "Oh, so you're taking a pantheistic stance?") "...and can hear you anywhere, and he's in your heart." To which Ethan replied, "I think he's way high in the clouds. We need a ladder." (Noah interjected, "How about a tower?")
3. Tomorrow morning, we will A) Officially be in the Ber/Brr Months, and B) we will also be officially in the month at the end of which Noah leaves until, essentially, February. Boot camp at Great Lakes for two months(ish)—(Oh, how vague and little is the information the military shares!)—during which time we can communicate through the ol' Pony Express. After that, it's off to Pensacola for further training for eleven weeks. We can visit him there, but, you know. This impending departure is beginning to bother me, not just because I'll miss him, but because we know that Ethan really doesn't get it. How could he? Tonight I was hugging Noah, and Ethan asked me what's the matter, and I told him I was just going to miss Daddy when he goes to the Navy. Now, as far as Ethan understands, The Navy is that office at the mall with all the recruiters in it where Noah has to go from time to time, and where Ethan gets cool SWAG like Navy-themed baseballs and coins. "Daddy," he said sweetly after I told him I'd miss Noah, "when you go to the Navy can you get me some more coins?" "I'll get you a treasure box full of coins," said Noah.