Surprise!!!!

Who would have thought that I would blog two times within the same month, let alone in the same year? Not I that is for sure!

I was sitting downstairs with Olivia bemoaning our somewhat frightening student loan budget and debt when I heard Julian crying up in his room. I had just put him in there five minutes before, so being perplexed I went upstairs. Julian was crying on his bed. I laid down next to him and asked what was wrong to which he said "I can't stop thinking about taking Howie's skin off. It seems like a good idea but it's really scary!"

For those of your who may not know Julian has quite the morbid imagination. He used to tell us stories of dreams that would scare anyone, and he just comes up with them. We don't let the boys watch scary shows, nor do we take them to scary places but still Julian just comes up with this stuff.

I was able to calm him down and we had a nice conversation. We talked about how we will be moving after I am finished with school and what kind of places he would like to live. Julian replied that he would like to live where it snows all the time and the snow is this deep (holding up his hands to be about a foot apart). Then he started talking about how it would be cool to live in Hawaii to see the volcanoes erupting. I have no intention of living in Hawaii but told Julina that when we can afford a nice, big vacation that I would take him to Hawaii, to a volcano, so he can see the volcano erupting. Julian became all wide eyed and asked "will it get me?"

"No" I said, "we'll see it from far away... in a boat."

"Oh! The hot lava would get all steamy in the water and sink!" With that he smiled.

Being a dad brings some very pleasurable and memorable moments to my life. Talking with my son on his bed about skinning cats, eternal snow, and volcanoes when he should be asleep is one of them.