Enlightened by Ellie

Tonight I stayed home with Ellie from a dinner with some friends. It was an "everybody's back in town" get-together, and the girls were particularly excited because we were going to watch a Chinese acrobat performance. But Ellie had an allergic reaction to something (maybe dried cranberries?) about an hour before we left, and she was moaning on the couch at the moment of decision.

After she recovered from the devastation and the reaction, we sat together talking over dinner. Here is a transcript-- I wrote it all down.

"Momma, peanuts you don't eat with a fork. But rice you eat with a fork, see?" (Yes, we had peanuts and rice for dinner. We've been back for 3 days, but I still haven't made it to the store.)

"Momma, which one of these is your wedding ring?"
It's the one without the diamond.
"What is that other one?"
That's called an 'engagement ring'.
"You sure this is not your wedding ring? This sure is the pretty one!"
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"Do you know what fighting is, momma?"
What is it?
"It's like Kathryn has Jimmy Bear but I want to sleep with him!"
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"Mommy, did you know someone has a dragon friend?"
I didn't know. Who has a dragon friend?
"I dunno either. I saw it in America. After we were done eating our dinner at Elise's house. Dragons are bad and not nice. I don't call them nice dragons. You know why? Because they are not nice dragons."
Are there any good dragons?
"Yes, but I've never met one. Do you think mama dragons and daddy dragons and baby dragons and big sister dragons are nice, mama? I think so. I had a dream of them, and they didn't eat me."
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Is there anything else you want to tell me, Ellie?
Uhuh.
What's that?
You love me because you stayed with me. I'm thankful you are my mommy!
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I wouldn't have missed our little chat for all the acrobats in the world!