Julia's Nickname, and Holy Saturday

Julia came home from school yesterday with news about her new nickname.

JULIA: Mom?  Guess what?  I have a new nickname with one of my friends at school.  She calls me "Ju!"
ME: Jew?!?
JULIA: Yeah!
ME: Oh.  That's great.
JULIA: No, Mom, it's just, like, "J-U."  Besides, I don't think she would even think to mean it in a different way.
ME: Okay.
JULIA: Yeah.  It all started because she was trying to get my attention in the lunch room, and I didn't hear her, so she shouted, "Hey, Ju!"  And then today when I got to school she was like, "Hi, Ju."

Awesome.  I can't help but think about Louis CK's comments on the subject of the term "Jew."  Let's hope that the context in which Julia's nickname is shouted is always completely clear.


Meanwhile, Madeleine continues her own close relationship with the guy she nicknamed Jeezy, as she desperately counts down to Easter.  Today at Holy Saturday service, she was clearly just WAY.  TOO.  EXCITED. about Easter to have anything remotely resembling quiet, calm behavior.  Throughout the solemn service, Madeleine was marching to the beat of her own drum.  When the priest circled the church, tossing bay leaves into the pew, as is tradition, Madeleine made it her personal mission to collect each and every leaf in our pew and organize them into an orderly pile.  And then sneak bay leaves into Auntie Shannon's purse, my hair, and all sorts of other places.  In fact, when the priest was throwing leaves directly in our end of the pew, Madeleine completely missed out, as she was at the other end of the row, butt facing the priest, collecting bay leaves off the ground.

As you all know, Madeleine can entertain herself with literally nothing.  So throw some bay leaves in there and it's a whole wild imaginative adventure for her.  At one point, the chanter had finished his hymn just as the priest ended his prayer, so there was a moment of silence in the church.  Ringing out throughout the silent room was Madeleine's pipsqueak voice proclaiming "What if the leaves all POOFED up to the CEILING!"

During the kneeling prayer, a moment of utmost contemplation, Madeleine decided to announce what she was praying for.  (Or as she would say, "prayering.") Among the things she prayered were: 1) That the Power Puff Girls would become real, 2) That Jesus would come back to Earth, 3) That there would be no more snow in our yard, and 4) That it won't snow on Easter.  Apparently it's not enough to just PLAY "Jesus Power Puff Girls."  Madeleine is literally praying for the game to come to life.

At any rate, we are busy preparing for Easter, frosting cookies, dyeing eggs, baking bread, and all the fun things the girls love to help out with.  And I'm gonna boldly go out on a limb and say I'm pretty sure one of Madeleine's prayers will be answered, as the forecast for tomorrow calls for high 60s and NO snow!