Of Killing Mockingbirds

I recently finished reading "To Kill A Mockingbird." I enjoyed it--finished it in one day, actually, but I don't know that it's one I would read a second time. (There are, in fact, very few books I read more then once, since there are so many delightful books out there just awaiting my perusal!)

Anyway, I had a few thoughts as I read the book. First of all, I am amazed at how "good Christians" can be so bigotted. Secondly, it blows my mind that bigotry is still even around! I remember when we lived in little Farmer City, IL, there was a black family that moved in on the outskirts of town. I remember Dad in particular went out of his way to make them feel welcome, and invited their kids to come over to our house and play, etc. Unfortunately, not every one in the town felt the same way Dad did, and a short time later, some one broke into their house and sprayed grafitti all over the place. I remember just being disgusted with whoever could be so narrow minded in our "age of enlightenment" that they would stoop to doing something like that. Part of it I imagine, is that many of the residents in Farmer City were uneducated, and/or had been living in the same place all their lives, and thus had a very narrow view of the world. (Not that it has to be that way--I know you can live in one place your whole life and still have a broad viewpoint of the world!) Anyway, as I think about it though...I guess it was only a relatively short time ago that desegregation took place. I watched a couple of documentaries several months ago about Martin Luther King and his movement of "peaceful rebellion." They were fascinating, and I have a great respect for him and the others involved in all of that. I guess before I watched those documentaries though, I didn't realize that all of that happened just shortly before I was born. It seems like it would have happened such a long time ago!

I have a few more thoughts on that book, but I will jot them down later if I get around to it.

Changing the subject...Curtis and I went to the hospital today again expecting another blood transfusion, but they did the ultrasound and the baby looked well enough that they decided they could hold off one more week. Good news. BTW, our doctor is an amazing person. He is from South Africa, and has an MD in a highly specialized field, and a PhD. He is a pilot and flies his own plane up here from Salt Lake once a week, and in his spare time he runs marathons. I think I heard from one of the nurses that his wife is a doctor as well, and he's got two kids, besides. WOW! These are things I have just picked up in passing...I'm curious what else he does! It makes me wonder if I am aiming too low with my life's ambitions. Maybe I need to step things up a notch!

In other news, I know probably nobody cares but me, but I'm going to write it anyway. Maile is just about there with her potty training! Hallelujah! She is still working on going #2 in the toilet, but she's pretty much got #1 down.

Speaking of Maile, she is such a tease. She definitely takes after her mom...and her Dad...and brother, for that matter! The other day we were sitting on the couch together. She had a little bottle of red juice in her hands. She looked at me out of the corner of her eye to see if I was paying attention to her (which I was, but she didn't know it!). She then stuck her finger in the juice, pulled it out, and said; "Mom, I'm bleeeeeding! I need a band-aid!" Hee hee! I love my kids. They make me smile!