make it a good one...

"i want to work with kevin clash someday," he says.

 

my 9 year old is unlike most.

 

he isn't out on the football field today...fighting for tackles and touchdowns.

 

he is doing his own thing.  and i...for one...love that.

 

i gave him the day.  i was his.  he got to choose breakfast.  he got to choose what he wanted to do.  no going to colt's football game...no school stuff...no dragging him to other kid's practices or making him sit and watch his siblings do their thing.  it was his day.  it was his call.

 

chad had an all-day meeting down town today, so colt had to assist.  he watched the girls for me while i took chase to hobby lobby, where we picked out paint for our clay frog and toad creations.  we walked up and down the isle...fingering amphibian habitats and B-24 airplane models.  he found a plastic frog replica that was a must.  and most importantly...had my undivided attention.

 

 

when we got home...we packed a picnic...upon his request...and hit the park.

 

 

we played a mean game of hide and seek...

 

followed the leader...

 

and watched trout behave himself...for once.

 

side note:  trout has developed these little, raw, bald spots that look like they would hurt...in several areas on his body.  see the one at the top of his right leg?  does anyone know what these are??

 

this afternoon...we let the grandparents, UK and daddy represent at the football field for colt...and settled in to watch a little johnny cash.  chase got the best of johnny cash video for his birthday last year and was wanting to watch it again.

 

 

i made pop-corn, tinkered around the kitchen, and marveled at the fact that chase knows who people like, bob dylan; loretta lynn; the statler brothers; ray charles; joni mitchell; tammy wynette; and the tennessee three are.  i love that he knows what songs his great grandfather played on his guitar.  i love that he appreciates their art.  i love that he will sit and watch johnny cash play and tell stories.  i love that he is educating his siblings about this art form and these artists.

 

most of all...i marvel at the fact that he is not afraid to be himself.  he does not worry about what other kids are doing.  he does not try to be someone he's not.  he is not concerned with what other people like or dislike.  he is true to himself.  he is chase.  and he is remarkable.

 

 

and then...as if God was smiling down and celebrating chase's day, himself...i got a text from my old, high school friend, ian.  it said to check the mail...that a surprise was coming for chase.

 

it was the documentary on kevin clash...the puppeteer and voice of elmo.

 

 

what a way to finish "his" day.

 

keep being YOU, chase.  because you are simply, amazing.

 

****

 

we finally found something that will hold flicka's attention.

 

she has a love/hate relationship with legos.

 

they seem to cause her either a great deal of fun...

 

or throw her into a complete dither.

 

and then there's the lip gloss.

 

this particular day...she did her own hair and make-up.

 

oh yeah...we went out in public this way.

 

we stopped by the library and got our first library card.  and bonus...ran into a good friend, debbie.

 

she is a dedicated blog reader here...so it's only appropriate that she have a little guest appearance.

 

hi debbie!!!

 

happy weekend, friends.

 

make it a good one.