Have you ever listened to two four-year olds argue? I'm sure most people have, even if you don't have two of your very own like I do most days (I'm referring to my own child, DJ who will be 5 this month & my nephew, Brayson, who is 7 months younger) ... anyway. Today Brays stayed home with us rather than go to daycare so the boys could play. It was great. They shared, no one hit, bit, kicked, or otherwise maimed the other (what more could I ask for, huh?). So we (I) decided to take a short roadtrip to McDonalds. And here, in the car where there's no escape, is where the argument took place. I can't remember exactly how it started - something to do with Moses & Noah somehow morphed into a talk about the Trinity - the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Now, I've tried to break this idea down to simple-ish terms for DJ, equating the Trinity to how he's part of me and because he's part of me, he's part of his Boppy (my dad) - part of, but not the same. So he & Brayson are screaming at each other, El's crying because she hates for them to fight or cry, and Lord of the Rings is playing on the DVD player & I'm trying to pay attention to the road. It was actually a kind of neat argument to overhear, since they were arguing over wether or not Jesus was dead or alive. They agreed that Jesus had died on the cross ("a really long time ago" - DJ), but the real problem this posed came from the little knowledge they have of death (two dogs have died in their lifetime, one just before Mike left for Reno). Back and forth they went:

Brays: (very matter-of-fact) Jesus is dead. He died on the cross. Then he went to Heaven with Micky (the dog).
DJ: Jesus isn't dead. He's alive in Heaven.
Brays: No, dead.
DJ: Alive.
Brays: Dead.
DJ: Alive.
Brays: I learned at church that he's dead, so he's dead.
DJ: (at this point screaming) ALIVE!!
Brays: (sing-song) Dead, dead, dead ...
DJ: Alive.
Brays: My daddy says he's dead (that's not a true statement, but it's Brayson's favorite way to rile anyone - me included - to just throw out the "My daddy says ..." or "My mommy says ..")
Dylan: (finally calm again & in his very best, "I'm older" voice): No, Brayson, he's alive.
Brayson: How do you know?
Dylan: I heard about it in the Bible.
Brayson: Oh. Hey, look at that barn.

End of discussion . Ha. I just thought it was great. By the time we got to McD., the boys were happy as larks & as if there was never an argument. But I also loved how DJ was so upset that Brays was arguing with him, when he knew he was right ... how he got upset, and then when he'd sort of reasoned out the best way to make his point, he calmed & was so confident in his knowledge, his faith.

Have I mentioned before that I love that kid? Cause if not, let me say now, I love, love, love that kid.

And also, today Mike graduated from the Maynard Inst. & tomorrow he hops a plane to head East - to us. He'll be home Monday after catching a Phillies game with the guys Sunday afternoon. YEAH!!!! Mere hours separate us!!