My Boy is 8

Zane. He's funny, kind, thoughtful, bright, witty, brave, handsome, rough and soft. He makes deep connections to things and seems wise beyond his years. We're entering the closing chapters of his childhood and looking forward to making them great. We're so very thankful for him. He's a wonderful son and brother and lights up our lives like no other!

~1 Timothy 4:12

Gifts

I started using Twitter to follow the kids' happenings in school. I retweet some things every once in a while. The other day I got curious as to what my Twitter home page looked like. Although it has only been a couple of months, I forgot about this picture of last year's Avery 5th grade serving as buddies to the kindergartners.  It was also in this moment that I decided to zoom in a tad to check out the funny faces they were making.

Although very blurry here from modifying an already copied image, I discovered that when I zoomed in, Vanessa's sweet and deeply caring side was captured in this photo. I believe she technically only had one little kindergartner buddy, but here you can see that two sweetums are being embraced and held by her.  I love that her arm is wrapped around the one and she's holding the hand of the other.

Sometimes her soft empathetic side gets clouded by her very pronounced exuberant spirit and Zane's deeply pronounced empathetic side. It is a great reminder to me that she's just louder and more confident by nature but she possesses so many amazing soft traits/gifts, by the grace of God.

Boys On Fire

They're just boys, and they're on fire. :-) They're curious and for some odd reason, I believe boys feel like men when they're doing this kind of thing. And they might not be men yet, but it's a great opportunity to shape the future man in both of them. (It just means we have to be on hyperalert and hypercontrol to avoid any catastrophes. :-))

More Than Bronze

A week ago, Vanessa completed her last Girl Scout presentation to achieve her Junior Bronze award. Although feeling mixed emotions at times, she has decided that her time as a Girl Scout has ended and it is time for her to bow out, before a  few consider moving on to Cadet. She's enjoyed her time. Her presentation was wonderful. The group created a program for about 8-9 young children that involved nature. The presentation wasn't meant for me to be there but because of logistics and so Zane could participate as one of the children the troop presented to, I got glimpses of how wonderful things went.

I'm certain she will look back on these opportunities as impactful and I agree that it's time for her to move on . . .

When the Stars Align

Every so often, he sleeps perfectly. I know this will be a most treasured photo from this day forward. . . . it's even inspired me on a design approach. . . .

Just a book...

. . . is sometimes desired!

His Style of Learning

Hendrix has a lot of his own work to do now that Vanessa and Zane are back on their own schedules. He has been eager to be home, almost like he was suppressing a ton of ideas until they got out of his way.
In addition to his own toddler agenda, he's enjoying library story times and Miss Marlene's music hour and he's waiting patiently for open gym hours.
He was moved up to the preschool class at church a few weeks ago because he just seemed ready. He prepares for church and actually asks to go. We were told this last Sunday he just always does impressively well, way better than anyone would guess for a boy his age. He goes over to story time and sits quietly to listen all by himself.
This week I noticed his interest in pipes evolving into a bigger fixation. Some of my most vivid and earliest memories have to do with me talking in the middle of the night to myself about the length of pipes and how they connect. I was around 2 and 3. Vanessa also had a fascination with pipes and so did Zane. Hendrix looks to where the pipes run in our house and what the pipes carry. At church this last Sunday, while waiting for his name sticker to print out, he kept looking up to the warehouse exposed pipes for air vents to see if they were connected to the sticker machine. :-) He was convinced the label travel through the air vents.

His favorite words are chocolate and basket. And he will point to himself, cross his heart, and point to you to say "I love you!"

Pile On

Going to Be a Good Year

Weekdays for a while! 

Zane and Vanessa have gotten off to a great start this school year. Vanessa is eager to get to class. Zane likes me to walk him to the school in the morning but asks that we meet him at the corner when picking him up. :-)

Vanessa enjoys switching classes and collaborating with friends. She's doing band, robotics competition, possibly drama club, wrapping up Girl Scouts, and beginning Wed evening youth group!

Zane is gearing up for Boy Scouts, basketball, and new possibilities at Avery. Grandpa's early b-day gift of a backpack screamed for attention! :-) And he's already earned a Super Gator sticker acknowledgment for his leading by example! UPDATE: Zane was elected as his 2nd grade class student council rep!

Below are the pics from orientation and meet the teacher night!

Free Play

The kids do it so well. And they love their time with cousins Tucker and Tollie . . .