Happy 5th birthday, Zane!

Zane this morning: "Am I 5 now? Let's see if I grew taller. I feel like I'm still 4 but I'm 5? Wait till I tell Miss Carissa. Hey, Vanessa, I'm 5 now!

Mom, Vanessa was super nice to me this morning. She even allowed me to win the game of Sorry!"

Clearly

The kids continue to put on plays and ask that I sit to watch. There were a few different ones this evening but I cracked up at a preparation comment for The Dinosaur is Dead. As they prepared and Vanessa was directing roles and costumes, she explained that she would be a dinosaur coming out of the jungle and Zane is the hunter.

Of course I'm not supposed to be listening to the planning and directing. But she handed Zane his Woody hat and play revolver and said "Here. You wear this costume cause it's prehistoric times." Really? Let's talk about what prehistoric means. :-) Then soon after she did give him his Superman sword too and said, "Here's your knife too." Good to know she knows to prepare well for a dinosaur hunt.

As the dinosaur came out of the jungle, Zane crept up and shot the dinosaur and then sliced her a few times with his knife. He then announced "And the dinosaur is dead. The end." And they both bowed before their next performance about a neglected princess searching for her father. Zane played the king and also her best friend dog.

"I love when things are transparent, free and clear of all inhibition and judgement."
~ Pharrell Williams

Cover Shot

Daddy took the picture. Could be a book cover . . .

Attaboy & Attagirl

The other day, we were doing things around the house. I was taking a break from painting and Adam (with some help from Zane) scraped up some grass growth from the cracks in the driveway. Adam had gone onto something else and Zane had gone inside, but a short time later Zane came back out and put on his gardening gloves and  headed back to the driveway. He announced to me "We missed some!" And he went back to cleaning it up. By this point he could have been back inside playing on an electronic device, but he wasn't . . .

And although I didn't get a picture to document it, I joked a week or so ago that Vanessa might need to start packing her own lunch while I'm out of town, so Daddy wouldn't have to worry about it. There are specifics for certain days of the weeks to be mindful of friends with peanut allergies. Yesterday Vanessa came home from school on a mission to explain a mission she wanted to start this morning -- she wanted to start taking on the responsibility of packing her own lunch now. We talked about it and the steps I take and how it would need to be done before filling her free morning time with electronic devices. She said with certainty "I can do that." I really had no doubt. The rest of her evening became consumed by planning.

This morning, she went downstairs around 7:05 and began packing her own lunch. Other than having a hard time finding the taco shells. She did really well. I could hear her get the ice cube tray out to fill her thermos. And I heard the cabinets opening and closing.  What a big girl . . .

Who's leading now?

Preschool storytime was huge for Zane this week. I hear he recites his memory verses in front of everyone in children's church, but I've never witnessed it. Many know how bashful Zane can be. But while at preschool storytime this week, where it's been fuller than years in the past -- probably 30-40 toddlers and preschoolers participating and about 20 adults in the vicinity, out of the blue Miss Carissa asked Zane to help her lead the group in drumming and clapping rhythms, fast and slow. It is not a habit of hers to pull kids up front, probably because it's been all she can do to get some of them to sit criss-cross apple sauce with listening ears on.

Zane didn't hesitate. And before I knew it, he stood up there with great concentration and with faces peering at him. When they were finished he high fived Miss Carissa (who he missed big time last week) and sat right back down. A few seconds went by and he turned around and mouthed "Did you see that, Mom? I helped her lead the class." I blew kisses, flashed big smiles and gave thumbs-up. He then mouthed "Wait till I tell Vanessa."

I was so very proud of him for taking a chance to do something that is typically very uncomfortable for him.

How? Why?

He is strict in His justice. And there is purity in His holiness. "For our God is a consuming fire." ~ Hebrews 12:29

Another Buckeye Betz

Uncle Andy treated Zane to his first Buckeye football season game. Zane was excited once he understood most details for the plan. He was convinced there would be endless suckers to get him through and he figured he would see the real Brutus mascot. And he even scored a hot dog and Sprite!

He drew a picture of his experience. When I asked what the dots represented, he said "I could see a lot of dots in the stadium." So true. Wonder when he'll fully comprehend the approximate number of 105,000 people. . . ? That's a lot of dots.

He's truly another Buckeye Betz. Maybe a future running back. . .

SiDS

SiDS = Sleeping in Dangerous Situations

We've held onto our gates for whatever reason. And although recently I didn't anticipate putting one back up at the top of the stairs until the next one poses a risk, we need to put it back up NOW.We have found Zane asleep at the top of the stairs probably three times recently. We don't hear him, which is much different than what we've been used to -- whimpering at the top of the stairs for us to either come up to bed so he can climb into ours, or for us to ask him to come down and sleep on the couch while we wrap up our evening.

Adam went up to bed before me last night and texted me the above picture. When I went up before Adam a week or so ago, I texted him the picture below. 

I think Zane just wants to hear us and know where we're at. He can't hear us very well in his room. I asked him about what he's thinking and explained to him that it's dangerous. He said he waits there for us. And he said "Why don't you come up when I say softly 'Come on. Come up'?" And, "I don't want Dad to hear me when I'm waiting for you." Dad usually gives him the little lecture about sleeping by himself. However, let me place it in the records that Dad is the one who helped build a solid foundation for these sleeping habits. :-)

Attitude

When we got kicked out of the pool one day because of storms far off in the distance, we ran up the road to cool off. It was frustrating because we had a few days in a row in which we had to get out the pool or couldn't get in at all, but it was this very hot day that I was determined to involve water with friends in some form or another. And although to me this was minor and I've spent years learning to just roll with a situation, it was incredibly hard for the kids, after big and very hot days of schooling, and because I think Vanessa felt she was letting her friends down.

It all ended up great and wonderful and everyone was very happy and cooled off, including our friends' junior high sister who hoped she could go with us.

I was reminding Vanessa over and over that there are no promises of this world, sometimes we can't anticipate interferences so we just make the best of it.

"I am determined to be cheerful and happy in whatever situation I may find myself. For I have learned that the greater part of our misery or unhappiness is determined not by our circumstance but by our disposition." ~ Martha Washington

Tying the Knot

I now think We were kids. I remember worrying about being up in front of everyone. I remember the love, friendships, family and support. I remember being confident in the step -- no doubts whatsoever. I remember having fun. I remember how tight he held me. (Seriously, at one point I thought he might break my neck. I'll always carry that as a fond memory, though.) I remember the beginning of boundless love. We've only grown together, never apart. How firm thy friendship . . .

"Don't marry the person you think you can live with; marry only the individual you think you can't live without." ~ James Dobson

How do you celebrate 16 years married and 14 weeks pregnant? With smoked meat, of course! Doesn't get more American than that! 

And an interesting thought occurred to me earlier -- I was 16 when I started dating Adam 22 years ago. And I was 22 when I married him 16 years ago.

Buggin' Out

Zane and I like to look for bugs when working in the yard. I don't remember where Vanessa was and why it was only the two of us outside one evening hunting for and catching lightning bugs, but Zane said something like "You and I haven't done this together!"

We've done it with Vanessa and friends but he was right, He caught a few all by himself, remembering in smashing a couple not to squeeze his hands too tight. I asked him if he wanted me to save them to show Vanessa when she returned and he said "No. Why would you do that?! They want out!"