This morning as I was seriously struggling to come to terms with the new day Ethan got in bed with me to snuggle.  I gave him a big hug and he said (not in a mean way at all), "Mommy…. um…. it seems like almost every time I get in bed with you in the morning to warm up or whatever — it seems like you always stink."

Me: "Well…. I do take showers… so…. maybe it’s my breath.  Cuz nobody’s breath smells good in the morning."

Ethan: "No, I don’t think so.  Because even when you don’t breathe on me you just smell horrible."

….  ….   

Now I’m really paranoid.  Cuz if SOMEBODY’S gonna be very frank with me, it’ll be my 5 year old.  We even have clean sheets on the bed!  I dunno….   

Last week Caleb and I were at the church bldg. so I could work on his Bible class lesson that I needed to teach the next day. While in the workroom he heard a vacuum cleaner (which is NOT his favorite machine.)  He got slightly concerned and commented on this, but I assured him it was okay and was not going to get him.  When we finally left the workroom it was still going, but it was far off.  Caleb did not want to walk down the hallway and kept talking about the "hacuum" being loud.  I said, "It’s not even this way.  Come on, let’s go."  

So he came, but sure enough — I was wrong.  The vacuum WAS that direction, but in an upstairs classroom.  So I tried to make out like it was no big deal because, "Look!  The cord is going upstairs!  The vacuum can’t get you.  It’s waaaayyy up there.  Let’s go!"

So all the rest of the way to the classroom he kept up a constant stream of chatter like this, "Dat hacuum DON’T scare me!(in a defiant voice)……  (sudden shift to scared voice)Mommy ho’d you!"  quicker steps… "Dat hacuum DON’T scare me!….  Mommy ho’d you!"  quicker steps, look behind with large eyes…… repeat until arriving at the classroom.

It’s hard to be brave no matter your age.  The size and make-up of the monsters simply change.