Toads, Lizards, and Unusual Conversations

Well, I must have reached a new level of motherhood this week! Samuel has brought me his first toad. The school kids have the week off, as we follow the same schedule as Sahel Acadamy in Niamey. Recently, toads have been finding their way onto our back porch. They like the rolled up mats that we use for morning devotions. They jump up in them and hide there. In the morning when we unroll the mats, they come jumping out. One morning saw three in the same mat. Samuel was a bit timid at first, but as you'll see, and discover from some of our conversation, he warmed up to them quickly! The poor toad probably didn't know what he'd gotten himself into when he looked for a cozy place to sleep the night before. After discovering the toad, he carried him around in a small tin for awhile, and then when I suggested that he give him a little more room to roam, Samuel let him hop around the back porch and practiced catching him. After much giggling, he decided to give him a "rest" and let him go for a swim. Next thing I knew, one of my buckets had been used as a toad-pool, and there was one large toad making circuts, trying to find the ladder to climb out. As I passed by this scene on my way to the clothes line with more washing to hang, I asked Samuel if he'd named his toad. "Toady" was the response. As I was hanging wash on the line the following dialogue took place.

Samuel: Hey mom, I just kissed my toad!

A horrified me: WHY???

S:'Cause I wanted too!

Curious me: Where did you kiss the toad?

S: On his mouth of course!

Horrified me: You'd better wash your mouth, otherwise you won't get any bedtime kisses from me!

S:Sure mom.

Curious me: Did you think the toad would turn into a princess??

S: No, I just wanted to.

So there you have it. Needless to say I didn't ask him to repeat the act just to get a picture for the blog.

Then a bit later at lunch as I was relating this story to Alan, Rachel pipes up with her own unusual bit of information...

Rachel: Mommy, I accident-y stepped on a lizard.

Me: Oh dear! Are you sure? They run pretty fast.

R: Yeah, his eyeball got squished out of his head. (note: no distress noted)

Horrified me: Oh my !

R: Yeah, but he didn't cry.

Skeptical me(ie: is she making this up??): I guess it must not have hurt too badly then, right?....Is he still alive??

R: Uh...I don't know...(add confused tone, and lifting of shoulders here)

Me: Samuel did this really happen?

S: Yeah, Gary stunned one, so he could catch it and Rachel wasn't looking where she was walking...and she stepped on it.

Curious me: Did it live??

S: Nope, it died in peace.


Now, I didn't think to ask if she'd had shoes on...but maybe I don't really want to know!