Yesterday, while I was in the kitchen getting lunch ready:

• CHICKPEA: Mom, meet Dane.  He’s my friend.  (she points to the air next to her)
• ME: Hello, Dane.  How did you and Chick meet?
• CHICKPEA: We met on the balcony.  He’s a grown-up.  And I’m pretending to be a grown-up, too.  We love each other.  We’re going to get married.
• ME: Oh really?

(I try not to laugh while concentrating on the lunch.  Chick leaves for a minute, then comes back with a wad of her underwear–she’s holding them like a bouquet of flowers.)

• ME: What are you doing with those?
• CHICKPEA: We’re getting married.  These are my flowers.  Don’t look.

(Chick starts mouthing words to nobody in general while holding the “flowers” in front of her; I move to the balcony to start feeding her brother and to contain my laughter.)

• CHICKPEA: (running outside) Okay, we’re married!
• ME: Oh good.  How was your wedding?
• CHICKPEA: Good.  We kissed at the end.  But don’t worry, Mom, Dane loves Jesus.
• ME: Um…  I guess that’s good.  So… (trying to think of something to say) When people get married, after the wedding they go on a honeymoon.  That’s a vacation that’s just the husband and wife.  So where are you going to go?
• CHICKPEA: We’re going to the moon.  But we decided to wait until after lunch.  It’ll be more fun that way.

I have no idea where she got the name Dane.  The only Dane we know is a friend of her daddy’s in Oregon, and she’s met him I think twice in her life.

One of Kabob’s Father’s Day presents was a note written by Chickpea (she dictated, I was secretary).  Here it is:

What I love about Dad:

• He plays toys with us
• He plays peekaboo with us
• He makes good food
• He reads stories
• He makes good clubhouses
• He takes us to get ice cream
• He’s funny and silly
• He’s fun to snuggle with

Sometimes can you take me to the pet store with money to buy me a kitten?

Love, Chickpea

I spent the afternoon at a friend’s house, where a group from America had come over just to give a few of us ladies a spa day.  It was soooooo great.  We were treated to a hair stylist, a manicurist and pedicurist, and a massage therapist.  It was such a treat!  I left with a new hairstyle (never had this one before), a relaxed back, and painted toes and fingers.  Sigh…

So I got home, and Chickpea excitedly welcomed me back.

• CHICK: Hi Mom!  Where were you?
• DAD: I told you where Mommy was, remember?
• CHICK: I don’t remember.
• DAD: It was a place called…  par….a….
• CHICK: Paradise!  (I laugh)
• DAD: I told her earlier today that you were at Paradise.  And she said:
• CHICK: Where’s that?
• DAD: Oh, it’s like heaven.  The best place in the world.
• CHICK: (gasping) Is there a playground there?
• DAD: Well, maybe in your paradise.
• CHICK: Mommy’s in paradise at the Kipa playground?  (Kipa’s our grocery store.)

To each her own.

And a note: If anyone knows how to do hair, massages, nails, facials, or any other pampering treatment, you will ALWAYS be welcomed here, and very busy.