SQUEEF

This is Ethan. We call him Squeef. The fact that he has no problem with this less-than-desirable nickname is evidence of his extremely high self-esteem. Seriously, when they were passing out confidence this guy stood in line like, four or five times. If this is sounding all-too familiar, you're right. He is absolutely Jared junior. It's uncanny. They are so alike it's scary. Sometimes I wonder if both of them are necessary. What one would say in any given situation the other would say as well--the exact same thing said in the exact same tone of voice with the exact same facial expression. So it comes as no surprise that Ethan thinks his father hung the moon. It's essentially like thinking he himself hung the moon which is accurate. He is a very different thinker--from me that is. He sees the world in SUCH a different way than me. I've known him since he took his first breath and yet at least once a day I will find myself thinking ,"Who is this guy? Do I really know him? Or understand him?" I guess I should since I'm married to the block he is a chip off of.

He is famous for saying such odd and random things that make everyone crack up but also scratch their heads a little. Just as an example, when he was much younger, maybe three, we were having family night and we were learning about how testimonies are something you feel in your heart. We asked the kids to each share with the rest of us what was in their heart. When it was Ethan's turn, he said ,"Chicken blood.." And another time we were all in the car going somewhere and everyone was talking and being noisy (he was probably about 4 years old) and he raised up his hand and as serious as a heart attack said, "SHHH! I'm thinkin' about candy!" (Since then I have found that it is quite helpful to think about candy during times of turmoil. Thanks for the tip, Squeef!)

He loves football, and is pretty good at it. He works really hard at pleasing the coach and they are quite fond of eachother and themselves. Betcha can't guess who the coach is. Ethan is in fourth grade at Pecan Grove Elementary and is sharp as a tack. The biggest challenge is getting him to think he needs to try at any of his work. He shares his father's extreme dose of optimism. (I always say Jared could lose both of his arms and legs and he would say, "At least I have this good-lookin' torso!) One time he decided he no longer needed to study for spelling tests so I decided to just let him try it out and see if natural consequences could teach him better than I could. That Friday I pulled his test out of his folder and called him downstairs. "Ethan! You made a 72 on your spelling test!" He looked me dead in the eye, paused, and then yelled, "Sweet!" and ran away happily.

His biggest thing right now is his hair. He has some idea in his mind of how he wants it to look and no matter how hard I try I cannot concieve that how it looks could possibly be the desired outcome. It is crazy. It is super long and super shaggy and like mine, super thin and so most of the time it looks super strange. But of course, he loves it! I recently decided I needed to fight his newfound rebellious streak by letting him have complete control of the few things he can have complete control over without serious consequences. While sometimes it's questionable I mostly believe his hair falls under this heading. And so with lips pursed and my toungue tightly lodged between my teeth, I watch each morning as he combs it into his own strange little masterpiece. And off he goes to school, happy as a clam.

His best feature is definitely his un-squelchable optimism which tempers my obvious pessimism. His worst feature is--you guessed it, his hair. But it's not like I have room to speak, today Sarah informed me that the color I dyed mine last night, which was supposed to be an ashy blonde, is in fact, green!