I remember reading somewhere that amniotic fluid is the best impact adsorbing material known to man.

Kinda makes you realize how amazing the human body is, huh?

NASA has for years tried to synthetically reproduce this liquid that keeps baby safe from bumps and jolts in Mommy’s tummy. But they just can’t figure out the right formula.

Guess God isn’t giving up the secret recipe.

Well, I’ve got something else for NASA to try.

Kid Snot. Mucus. Boogers. Whatever you call it in your house.

That stuff could totally be a space-age polymer. Have you ever tried getting snot off your kid’s nose when it’s all dried-on and crusty? It’s practically impermeable.

So there you go NASA. Kid snot is the answer to those pesky O-rings that keep failing on you. That heat-shield that keeps coming off in chunks? Get one of your employee’s kids to blow their nose on it, then slap it on the shuttle. It will never come off.

They wouldn’t even need to make a synthetic. There are millions of sick kids every year to collect it from.

NASA, call me. I may not have a degree in aero-space engineering, but I do have lots of experience with runny noses.

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We finally made it to Lake Michigan this week.

We had a picnic before we headed to the beach for a swim. Wade was a little confused about what to do with the paper plate.

This is a pretty good picture,

except for the trash can right behind David’s head. I’m starting to figure out how to use my camera. Now if I’d just remember to look at what’s in the back ground…

Sometimes the problem with my pictures isn’t my photography skills,

it’s the subjects.

This was Wade’s first time in Lake Michigan. He was too little last summer.

The lake is incredibly warm this summer. It was like bath water. Usually the Big Lake is cold no matter what time of year it is. If you’ve never been to Lake Michigan, this is the year to go.

Wade liked playing in the sand too.

David was all about the swimming. Look, it’s just like the opening credits of Bay Watch, only with out Pamela Anderson, and with a ring floatie.

David had fun running down the sand dune.

It was late when we left, getting close to sunset.

I could look at this view forever. Kinda makes all those snowy winters worth it.

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If you give Wade an Ice cream cone…

He’ll probably get it all over himself.

Then he’ll probably do an impersonation of the Statue of Liberty.

Then his brother will probably put ice cream all over his face too just so his parent’s will laugh at him also.

Oy!

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We went to the Bamboo House for lunch the other day.

David: Mommie, are there Chinese people here?

Me: Yes, David I think the people who own the restaurant are Chinese.

David: How far away is China? Do you have to fly?

Me: Yes, you would have to fly.

David: For a long time?

Me: I think it would be a pretty long flight.

David: Then how do they get here so fast to come to work everyday?

Me: They live here in Michigan.

David: Why don’t they speak Spanish?

Me: What?

David: They don’t talk different. They sound like us. Why don’t they speak Spanish?

Me: Um, because they’re not Hispanic. If they know another language it’s probably Chinese. But, yes they speak English just like us.

David: Well, how did they learn English?

Me: Like you did. David they are Chinese, but they’re also Americans like you and me.

David: You can be from some place else, and be American?

Me: Exactly, David, exactly.

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Life Lessons is a weekly series about wisdom gathered from life experience, lessons learned the hard way, moments of If I Knew Then What I Know Now, and revelations of Oh, They Did Know What They Were Talking About.

Some lessons I only need to learn once. Others I’m taught over and over before I finally get it.

One lesson I’ve really learned the hard is:

Always go with your gut reaction is another, if less eloquent, way of putting it.

I can think of a hundred examples going back over many years of times I ignored my instincts, went down a different path, and ended up regretting it.

When I was six years old I broke my ankle on the playground at recess.

My first grade class had a favorite game where the girls chased the boys around just to annoy them. The boys were deathly afraid of contracting cooties from us. The boy I was pursuing ran up the slide. I went up after him. When I got to the top instead of going down the slide properly, I decided to try and head him off by going down the support pole firemen-style.

I made it down the pole OK, but when I landed my feet smacked the cement foundation that was holding the pole in the ground. I hit it hard enough that I ended up with a hairline fracture right in the growth spot of one of my ankles.

I spent the next six weeks wearing a cast up to my hip, and being pushed around in a wheel chair. The doctors were afraid the bone wouldn’t heal right, and stunt the growth of my ankle. So to ensure that wouldn’t happen they did everything they could to immobilize me. Not an easy thing to do with a six year old.

I distinctly remember pausing for a brief moment at the top of the slide, and having the ominous feeling that I was about to do something I would regret. Still, down I went.

I continued for years plunging head-long into things, even though I had an inkling that I shouldn’t. Even now when I absolutely should know better I still sometimes ignore my own advice, and that Little Voice In My Head.

Breaking my ankle was not life-altering, although I was a pretty miserable 1st Grader for a month and a half.

I can think of an instance when I followed my instinct, and changed the course of my life.

It almost never even went on a date with the man who became my husband.

But I woke up in my college dorm room one morning, and sat straight up in my bunk bed, because I was so startled by the strong impression that if I didn’t give Dave a chance I was going to miss out something big.

12 happy years and 2 great kids later, thank goodness I went with my instinct that time.

So maybe you think I’m a little crazy. What are these “instincts” that I speak of?

Well, I’m not talking about ESP, psychic premonitions or the ability to predict the future.

I don’t really know what they are.

As Christian I think sometimes those instincts and feelings are God speaking to me. Other times I think maybe it’s just my subconscious mind putting two and two together that my conscious mind can’t for some reason. And sometimes I think it’s just a mystery.

I do know must of us have these instincts and gut reactions. And based on personal experience, I know that it’s usually best to follow them.

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