How We Learn To Love And A Possible Social Blunder

Those are the roses planted by Lily's front door. Aren't they electric? They greeted me when I went to pick her up to go to pottery class this morning. 

Man. I am getting good at this getting-up-early thing. I'm not saying I want to do it every day but it's not that hard and knowing that I will be doing something with two of my kids that I enjoy makes it all the easier. I have never not had a good time in pottery class except for the time I felt so defeated by my inability to create anything of use or even halfway interesting to look at. And I really still haven't although I do love my wavy bowl. Today I decided that I really wanted to sit back down at the wheel. I was terrible at throwing the first two classes I tried it and so gave it up and went on to slab building and pinch pots. 
But today was the day I wanted to try again. My teacher really did help me and the video I watched a few days ago on how to center the clay helped too. I felt more comfortable today even though my first try collapsed on me and the second try was so very far from perfect. BUT, I did it, I made a vessel (of sorts) and will trim and sand it next week. And I think I will try again. Funny how much I am starting to enjoy this stuff. And it is so very, very special having both Lily and Jessie with me in the class. As always when any of our family gets together, we laugh. 

So. Here's a funny story about something that happened today:
There was a piece that someone had done sitting by the edge of the sink and Lily and I were washing up something and we were a little concerned about how close it was to the edge. It was a cool piece and we both saw the same thing in it- a woman's nether parts. I mean, plain as day. And lovely! Someone else came up to the sink and we shared with the woman our admiration of this piece and Lily pointed out that there was definitely a vagina in there. 
Well. Turns out the woman herself had done that piece but the funny, awkward part was when she said, "I never thought of that as a vagina." 
Ooh boy. 
How could she not have? 
I hope we didn't ruin it for her. I mean, we sort of worship vaginas around here, having our home births and working in the birth field and all that other stuff. So to us, vaginas are as lovely as a flower's beautiful entryway for the bees. But I suppose that not everyone is of that mindset. 

We went to lunch after class which was very good. We ate at a noodle place and I got something called Jjajangmyeon. It looked like this. 

And underneath all that vegetable glory, there were noodles, beef, and mushrooms with a sauce. So, so good. 

And of course I did other things this afternoon, although NOT OUTSIDE. 

And that was in the shade on the porch. 
Here we go. Next thing up- HURRICANE SEASON! 
Why, why, why do we live here? 

But. In a complete segue, Levon got a card from his girlfriend today. It is absolutely and completely beautiful and the the girl asked him if he likes her, told him she loved him, and drew pictures of them together with butterflies and rainbows. There was even another little girl in one of the pictures who was hugging Levon and we are not sure about that one but we think that the girlfriend just loves her too and so why not? 
Oh, my heart. 
I was going to share the pictures but I can't. It is too pure and too much Levon's and not mine to share. I will tell you he made HER a card, declaring that yes, he liked her and that he loves her very much. Rainbows and hearts and a shining yellow sun are part of the accompanying artwork. 
I would never, ever make fun or make light of a romance between seven year-olds. That is plenty old enough for some children to start feeling the specialness of another child their age and the desire to form a bond of sorts with them. I never had a boy who liked me at that age but I can remember how deeply I felt I was in love with a boy at my school. He was two years older than me and I spent hours trying to figure out how we could somehow be in the same grade and classroom. I could skip a grade and he could be held back a grade but I knew he would never be held back. He was a smart boy. 
It was a doomed relationship. 
But all these years later I remember how handsome I thought he was, how kind, how smart. His mother was a teacher at our school and a good friend of my mother's and his father was our pastor so I saw him outside of school too and that only acted to make me think about him, admire him, fall a little in love with him, all the more. I will never forget the year I played Mary in the Christmas nativity play and he played...Joseph. My doll played the role of the Sweet Baby Jesus.

Oh my heart. 

So that's some of the things that have happened here today. As always, nothing earth-shattering, just small and simple things and I have been of a mind and mood to recognize and appreciate them more than I have been for awhile. 

Here's what the buckeye tree is looking like. 

I feel like a proud mama. 

Love...Ms. Moon