Working Time

Elise has an incredible imagination. If she had her way, we would be telling "turn stories" from morning till night. My role in these stories is to listen and ask questions that help her expand on her ideas. Occasionally it is my turn to add a twist to the plot. I've learned that inevitably she will either reject my idea, or add cars and trains to the thought. For example, it I suggest that the bears went swimming, she will come back with, "and their cars and trains and helicopters went swimming too."

Vehicles work their way into very unexpected places. If the characters in her stories have ice cream, it is usually van or race car flavored. The other day it was horsey flavored. She went into details about how you would have to chop the horsey into little tiny pieces to flavor the ice cream. I'm not sure which is less appetizing - a frozen treat that tasted like the inside of a van, or a chopped up horse.

One of her favorite story themes revolves around her future home. It is a pink house with pink walls and three rooms - one for her, one for Zion, and one for Tatu. Jeffrey and I rarely appear in these fantasies. And if we do, it is only to visit. When Jeffrey complained that he would miss her, she reassured him that her house would be in our backyard. When he was still unsatisfied, she offered to leaved Lambie at our house so we wouldn't be lonely. According to her, Lambie won't baaa or call out. She won't be sad or do any worrying things. She will be brave. So, when our three year old, one year old, and unborn child all move out together, at least we will have a brave Lambie to comfort us.

Elise is planning to build this home with Zion in between her working times. You may wonder, as I did what her "working times" are. Here is Elise's explanation:

"My working times are snuggling, reading books, sleeping, and eating too. And I hold Lambie, and read books to Lambie. I am a shepherd. I take care of lots of Lambies."

So if know of any sheep in need of a shepherd, we have one for hire who is already saving up for a home of her own.