Christian and I went running together again today and then we played in the backyard with Peter. Christian hurt himself doing a back flip two days ago and now he's too scared to try again. Benjamin did the exact same thing shortly after he learned back flips and didn't do one for over a year. I'm hoping Christian recovers and tries again sooner than that but I'm not rushing him. I don't want him to get hurt worse. So today I swung him in the hammock rather than jumped with him on the trampoline. He's such a sweet, thoughtful, compassionate kid. When Benjamin came out and was rude to me, he gave me a big hug. He could see it hurt and he understood. He's also wonderful with Peter. Sometimes I think he loves him more than I do. But I think that's just because he doesn't have to get up all night with him.
I took Christian to get his hair cut today for the first time since February. He was so anxious to get it done but I didn't have a mask that hooked on the ears. I only have masks that go over the back of your head, which wouldn't work for a haircut. The salons won't cut your hair if you don't wear a mask, so we were stuck. I prayed for help because I didn't want to pay $25 for a box of different masks when I already have plenty of good ones and then a few hours later, Kelly was on a bishop's counseling call with a member when their cell phone died. The member decided to drive over and meet with Kelly in his car in the driveway, but felt that they should wear masks if they are that close and handed him a new one (a disposable he'd gotten from work) - a mask that hooks over the ears. Kelly brought it in and gave it to Christian. He was so excited. Gold Bars. He wore the mask today and we went. All the waiting room chairs were on the sidewalk and the check-in was outside where the lady asked questions about our health and took our temperature. We could wait in the chairs outside, but we'd parked close enough that we simply waited in the car with the windows down and played Uno until she called his name. I always see parents had their kids a phone when they wait somewhere, but I always bring a deck of cards for such times. I much prefer that. They were very busy since salons have only opened back up 2 days ago, but the wait wasn't too bad because we got there early in the morning. By the afternoon the wait was about 3 hours. He was so excited to have short hair again. He's hated how his hair bounced when we ran. :) It just never ceases to amaze me how different our lives are now. Temperature checks and health questions at Great Clips?!? Masks required everywhere you go, even when meeting with a friend to talk?!? I wonder how long we'll have to live like this.
Peter is so cute. He's a big fan of ladders. Give him a ladder and he'll climb it immediately and proudly stand at the top for as long as you're willing to let him. Today was no exception but I really wanted to swing Christian in the hammock and I couldn't do that and watch Peter. However, the trampoline ladder was right next to the hammock and Peter was climbing it constantly. I decided to collapse the ladder temporarily to keep Peter from climbing it. Peter looked so confused. He knew it was his favorite ladder, but couldn't figure out why he couldn't climb it. He crawled up onto it, went from the bottom rung all the way along them, and finally sat down on the middle rung and just stared. At one point he reached for something and toppled off it. He immediately climbed back onto it and sat there some more. It was so cute. He was going to be on that ladder no matter if it was up or down.
This evening I sat with Benjamin at the table while he showed me a skill he learned in the game Legend of Zelda. It's called "wind bombing" and he's super excited about it. I played Zelda on my Nintendo when I was Benjamin's age. I didn't think it was any more interesting then than I do now, but I sat there staring at my son and was so overcome with amazement at the man this little boy has become. I watched his gorgeous face as he stared, smiling at the screen. I looked at his perfect features, his beautiful, thick hair and his strong shoulders and arms. He's perfect and wonderful and I'm continually amazed that this is my little baby boy. That little baby that I carried and held and played with. He's now taller than I am, is starting high school, and has dozens of ideas, feelings, and secrets which he keeps from me. Although the game he described is so boring, I was so happy that he was sitting with me, sharing with me, talking to me. Most of the time lately he just sits in his room and acts put out if I enter. He asks repeatedly, "Why are you still here?" or "Are you done yet?" as we talk. So, often, I rush the message I came to share and I get out. But not tonight. Tonight I got to sit there and be next to him, watch him, and admire him. He's 100% rude teenager, but he's also brilliant, creative, funny, and handsome and I'm so honored that God sent him to me. I pray every day that I can be inspired to know how to lead and guide him. He's tricky because he is so outwardly resistant to anything I or Kelly try to teach but I'm sure he's listening in some way and I want to help him the best I can. So I follow what the spirit tells me, try to be consistent, remind myself that he's only 13 after all, and I pray a lot that God will send people into his life to whom he will listen and that he will end up on the right path.
I have great kids and I'm a very lucky mom.
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