A birthday-daddy-daughter-date conversation with my daughter who turns 5 this week:
Ruby: Dad, I’m going to blow my straw wrapper at you.
Me: (Looking up from the menu, to get an awesomely unforgiving plastic straw wrapper launched into my eye ball. )
Ruby: I told you. (giant smile on her face)
Me: (laughing a bit to let her off the hook…..after all, she did warn me.) So, you’re turning 5! That’s really big, eh? What was your favorite part about being 4?
Ruby: Umm…probably…..hmm…..my birthday?!
(both laugh a bit, sip coffee/chocolate milk)
Me: So tell me, Ms.Soon-to-be-5-year-old, what is something you’re afraid of?
Ruby: (no hesitation here) Poison. Dad. Aren’t you afraid of poison too?
Me: Well, I guess, I’m a little afraid. But I don’t think I need to be too afraid. Poison can’t jump at me, and I don’t think I’m going to eat any today.
Ruby: Yeah, well, I also think…..daddy long legs too. Because one time a daddy long legs……well, maybe not that much. But definitely poison.
Me: Gotcha. Well I’ll make sure you don’t get any poison today, okay? So let’s see, what else….what do you want to be when you grow up?
Ruby: Um….probably……a vet. (nods with a smile, as if she’s just come to the most logical conclusion)
Me: Very cool…..because you really like animals, huh?
Ruby: Right.
Me: So Ruby, I want to tell you something really important. Something that I try to make sure I tell you often, but especially want to tell you today while we’re together. Do you know what God’s done?
Ruby: Um…..he made your farts smell good?
And boom. Right there I realized I was parenting my own 5 year old self. Class clown. Everything’s potentially humorous. I’m sure my mom is loving that it’s come full circle. 🙂
Me: Well, no…even you know that’s not true. I meant God has done big things to make sure that your heart can be filled with his love. Filled in ways that change the world….whether you become a vet, or a mom, or a missionary, or a super-hero that saves people from poison. Isn’t that awesome?
Ruby: Yeah! I don’t want bananas on my pancake.
Me: I know, you told the waitress that.
Ruby: Or poison.
Me: I think she’ll know that already. 🙂 Did you hear what I said about God’s Love?
Ruby: (like a teenage girl in an SNL skit) Yeeeeaaaahhhh. Daaaaaaad. I knooooowwwww. I’m changing the world.
Me: (smiling) Exactly. I love you, Ruby Anne.
words from wick 
Ha Ha,, I love that is has come 1/8 th of the way around the circle,, I pray, it never comes full circle.!! haha,- have you seen my hair lately??? Love you anyways,, Besides, you took away so many of those possibilities,, with her being home schooled right now..!! Nothing was too bad,, it is funny, that she is so very much like you at that age, (class clown,, they called you that when you were 5 too..!