Fish Heads and Chicken Bones

Theo and Blessing eat fish heads and chicken bones. Since I don't serve fish with heads, I have not witnessed the former, but Kyle and Zach have seen Theo munch a fish head at scout camp. And, when Blessing heard about it, she was jealous saying she, "loves the eyes!"

While the rest of my family reacts with different stages of amusement and/or disgust, I have tried to take it all in stride. After all, this is their culture or tradition or whatever. At least that is what I thought, until I overheard a little exchange between T & B. I wanted to write it down so I will remember it.

Theo doesn't eat chicken bones anymore. When Blessing asked him why he wasn't eating his bones, his response made me again realize the life my son and daughter have lived. He said, "I don't need to eat the bones anymore. I am not hungry."

What would I eat, what would you eat, if we were truly hungry? I wonder.

Wondrous Variety

This young lady was hurt when she found out that the boy she was seeing had a mom and sister that didn't like her, because she "looks too much like a cheerleader," and couldn't possibly be a "good girl."This young man is hurt when people comment that he is so short for his age.
This handsome fellow doesn't like being called fat.
And this beautiful young girl was told last week that her skin made her ugly.
At first I freaked that the neighborhood child was being racist, but after posting to the yahoo boards and getting some great responses, I rethought. Kids are mean. (Adults sometimes too!) They grasp for anything and everything that makes a person stand out in whatever the present company is.

My children, your children, you and I are all made exactly as we were meant to be made. To quote one of my favorite characters from Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, "because Allah in his wisdom, loves wondrous variety."