Vocabulary: I Corinthians 4:9-16

For some reason, I thought it would be an excellent idea to have TG read the epistle of the day, review the vocabulary he didn't know, and reread the epistle with the new vocabulary.  Well, the epistles have lots of words a five-year-old doesn't know, and they can be complicated, abstract terms.  So there's a lot of jumping around and looking things up and thinking on the parent's part to squiggle these words around so TG can get a hold of them.  For instance, I got out the pan and the scouring pad for the word "off-scouring."

revile: say bad things to or about somebody

After reviewing the definition a few times, I asked if he could revile me.  TG looked a little wary, like this was some sort of trap.  I said, "Can you say a bad thing about me?"  He said, "No!"  Surprised, I said, "Why not?"  TG:  "Because I'm nice!"  Okay. Point taken.

defame: damage the good reputation (of somebody)

I asked who had a good reputation at church, and he said, "Daddy," so I said, "What if somebody went around saying that Daddy had hit Mommy?  That would be defaming Daddy's reputation."  TG, not quite getting it yet, said, "After Daddy hits you, I will say: Daddy, you're defaming Mommy!"

My forehead is starting to hurt, but we're getting there.  And at least the bottom of the frying pan is cleaner.

Cedar Rapids, we have a chanter

At tonight's paraklesis service, we had a bit of a surprise. There were four adults and one mischievous, bright-eyed, and surprisingly bold little boy around the chant stand. We got to "God is the Lord," chanted the first two verses and refrains and, as we were getting ready for the third verse, an unexpected voice pipes up with "This has been done... by the Lord, and... it is wonderful in our eyes." Two small breaks to make sure he read everything correctly, intoned on pitch, with a proper ending phrase. I just about could not chant the refrain because I was trying not to laugh. This comes after about a week ago he began chanting the apolytikion for St. Mary Magdalene by making sure he got the tone right: "Di, Vou, Ga, Di."

The little boy is growing up. And he is paying attention. Somehow. In the middle of all that running, wiggling, jumping, laughing, whining, thumping, and general causing of havoc.

What has he been eating?

Me: Teddy, why are you squealing?
T: Because there's a siren inside?