The Seaweed Monster: Mosie's First Story

Over dinner last night, Moses spontaneously began narrating the first story he's ever made up and told us. I almost missed it, because another conversation was going on among the big people. But I'm so glad I didn't.

Before you read it, you should know this. His cheeks really do have scars where he dug his fingernails into them when he was in the orphanage. I realized what they were the first time I saw him distraught here trying to replicate that behavior.

It is sort of haunting to me that the first story he told would be his own. For weeks he's suddenly been talking about China, being Chinese, talking about pictures of the orphanage, wanting to snuggle a lot, etc. I'm not sure how he came to know that all at once, but I'm glad he's starting to process it.

I was hesitant to post this at first, because the One who really sought him and found him, isn't in the narrative. The truth is, the four of us were scared, lost in the cold and dark, too.

Then I thought, this is how a child understands it for now. And he needs the freedom to tell his own story whereever he is.

The lion looked smaller the first time Lucy went to Narnia. And that's OK.

Anyway, here it goes. I tried to keep as much of the original language as possible.


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Mosie was lost in China, in the woods, all alone without Mommy, and Daddy, and Yo, and Sis.

Then the (whispered dramatic voice) seaweed monster, and the big snake, and the big huge "pider" web sneezed at him all at once!

Mosie got the big, big, big huge gun, and this gun, too, that shoots really loud, and he SHOT the seaweed monster dead with a loud noise. And then he used his sword to smash down the big, big 'pider web.

Then he used the big loud gun to shoot the snake too. But it was still dark outside. And Mosie is keert of the dark. And he was alone and fraid. And he was cold. Brrrr. (Stops story to come get a hug.)

Then Daddy, and Mommy, and Yo, and Sis found a flashlight. And they came outside to search for me. And they found me in the woods in the dark.

And Mosie had ouchie ‘pots on his cheeks. (Fingernails pressed into his cheeks.) But Mom, and Dad, and Yo, and Sis gave him a whole bunch of kisses. And he gave Mommy a whole bunch of kisses, too, on the cheek. (Stops story to give me a kiss.) And they put med-cine on the ouchy pots.

And they took Mosie home and fed him some popcicles and ice cream. (Big, huge grin.)