That Would be a Waste Because....

On one of our rare warm days, Mackenzie complained, "I'm sweating." She had a "solution" as well. "I'm going to pour my (lunch) milk over my head when I get home." I started to explain that it would be a big waste because cows had to make that milk and the farmer had to gather it. Taylor surprised me by continuing the milk process chain, "the farmer collects the milk with tubes, puts it in big cans, takes it to the factory where it the milk is treat it it so there are no germs in it to make you sick. Then it is put in containers and taken to the grocery store. So it would be a waste if you dumped it on your head." - It's nice when I don't have to do all the lecturing. Now, will Kenzie listen to her sister any better than me? Well, she didn't have any come back argument nor did she pour any milk over her head. Likely spoiled her fun. - And I did tell them that some people drink raw milk without pasteurization.

"You're Freaking Me Out"

The time came when we figured it was time to tell the girls that their fratenal grandma was ill (from cancer), was having surgery the following Friday (two surgeons, all day, on Friday the 13th) and likely wouldn't survive the surgery (with her heart problems, low immunity, collitis, etc.). Plus it was believed to be secondary cancer. Taylor took it in stride, "so she might die? But we hope she won't. What do you mean she has cancer in her belly? Where else is it?" Mackenzie on the other hand replied in typical 6 year old form, "but who will take me to see the Newfoundland dog?" Then she got quiet and covered her ears, "Stop talking about it, you're freaking me out. I don't want to hear it." I know when she's ready she will ask questions. Minutes later she came to me and said "we don't want people in our family to drop off. We'd miss them because we love them." Mackenzie is familiar with death. She has had her fourth fish die this week. They're class fish died a couple of weeks ago (it was hers as well). Her teacher's dog died a couple of months ago. And her classmate's mother died two months ago. She knows about death, just not this close to home. We hope and pray that she gets a chance to spend a week alone with her gandmother, without her family, as Taylor did when she was six years old. A good woman like her should be around for a lot more years; someone who cares for others and loves her family more than anything in the world.

How Tall Am I?

During Kenzie's swimming lessons, Taylor said they were learning how tall they were at school today. She said I'm 136 feet tall. No it's not feet. I'm 136 kilometers tall. Um, no that's not it either. So I (Daddy) told her it was likely centimeters and she agreed. - Taylor's measurement units are obviously a product of her parents; feet and kilometers. Isn't she a product of the metric system in centimeters, kilograms, and kilometers? yet she speaks in feet, inches, pounds, and kilometers. Influences...go figure.