He doesn't lack in the self esteem.

I am typing while Brian and Zac are in the driveway playing soccer. Brian gets to play goalie while Zachariah pounds him over and over with some great shots.

But what I can't even come close to describing is the intensity with which Zac plays. His fists are clenched, his face is red, and with each shot, he literally screams, "BRING IT!"

Then after he scores, he saunters back to his place at the other end of the driveway, sometimes glancing at me with a nod.

He looks back at Brian and continues the trash talk.

"Betcha you didn't know how good I was."

We make him earn his keep

Well Zac, what were you guys doing outside all morning?

Oh, we played some soccer and baseball. And dad helped me wash the cars.

He'll be doing his own laundry soon

While eating dinner last night...

Mom: Hey ZZ... you know what's even better than using your shirt to wipe your hands? A napkin.

Zac: Do you know what's better than a napkin? My pants.

Pokemon?

I turned on Franklin for Zac the other day.

It is a cute little show about a turtle named Franklin. He plays with Bear and Goose and other sweet little innocent animal friends in his neighborhood. They mind their mommies and learn life lessons through their various adventures.


But since Zac started reading, he also started learning other things. Like how to use the remote control. And how to use the Dish guide. And saw that there was much more to TV than Franklin.


I came in the other day and he had turned to Pokemon. I don't know how he knows about Pokemon. I don't know if he knew anything about Pokemon prior to that day.

"Zac? How come you aren't watching Franklin? It's such a COOL show."

"Mom." (did I just catch a mom-you-are-so-lame-Eye-Roll?!?!?!)
"This show is way more cooler."

No camera

Oh, the woes of not having a working camera. Here's what we aren't documenting:

Zac's t-ball. We need to go over the basics with him. His first play: he didn't touch a single plate and got to home plate before his teammate ahead of him.

Fight Night and Wii Boxing at church. Fun times.

We got the Christmas tree down before February.

Star Wars underwear for Zac's Valentine's Day. And he'll show you if you're lucky.

Me begging Brian for a Canon Rebel XTI.

Brian doing all of the grocery shopping and cooking. And cleaning and laundry. And spring-break-vacation-planning. He's Superman, I tell you.

Praying for Nathan.

Zac and Brian playing a little pick-up basketball at the rec center. What a pair!

Tim Hawkins concert with friends. (We laughed SO hard!)

3 Christmas presents sitting by the front door, patiently waiting to be mailed.

Our fruitless attempts at fixing the camera.

Hockey Star

Zac took some hockey classes this month, which ended in his first little 3-on-3 hockey game.

He loves wearing a cool helmet.

Even though it looks a little big!

He liked to wait for the puck to come his way and hit it really hard down the court.

This was a great shot right here. Too bad for cheap cameras!

Checkin with a smile. :)

This was the first "play" of the game. Zac is wearing a red #1 shirt with gray pants.

He did a great job!!

He's very quick to let us know the score before they take a water break. :)

Thanks

Although my friend Nicole says pretty much everything I want to, I'd still also like to say Thank You.

Throughout the Bush presidency, Americans have seen a man with unfailing modesty, character, decency, moral clarity and class. He was as consistently gracious to his critics as they were consistently rude and rabid. He never wavered in distinguishing good from evil and freedom from tyranny, or, as he explained in his second inaugural, "the moral choice between oppression, which is always wrong, and freedom, which is eternally right."

Thank you

The harder right, not the easier wrong.

That's a quote from my dad we heard while growing up. The right thing to do isn't usually very popular. It goes against the basic fundamental selfishness with which every human being struggles.

When I was in high school, my dad had a fiat convertible. It was the same car my parents had when they were first married. Dad loved that car. Years later, I watched my dad "sell" a car to a guy who never paid him. My dad had already given him the title and took him at his word. I was shocked that Dad didn't go down there and demand his money. Sue him! At least threaten him.

Do you know my dad? He isn't a pushover. He isn't a doormat. The dude is pretty tough! But he isn't about retaliating or revenge. He isn't about making sure other people are aware of how they are wrong. He just does what is right. And he shows grace.

Let God take care of the rest.

I learned a lot from that lesson. This way of thinking doesn't always get you promotions. It doesn't always make you popular. And it really confuses people who don't understand it.

I went to the school of hard knocks over the past couple of years and it was really tough. I had a business where people took advantage of my kindness, financially and otherwise. But, I know how to show grace. And I hope that the grace I showed planted a tiny seed in the hearts of others, just like my dad did for me.

Most Americans know nothing of President Bush's VAST accomplishments. He didn't usually invite a media circus to worship him while he did his good works. Because it was from his heart. He didn't respond to those who showed hate. He was gracious.

Some people might see that as weak.

I see one of the strongest presidents this country has ever had.

President Bush is the epitomy of embracing what is RIGHT.

Welcome home to Dallas, President Bush!!

(And sorry for the lapse in posting. We had some sickness around our house that was NO fun at all.)