little brown boy

I have been itching to blog for awhile, but haven't found the time. I hope that you will forgive me!

This post is dedicated to my little brown boy, Mekaia William.

Back when I was a starry-eyed pre-teen I read the Anne of Green Gables series. Loved it. When all the maddening tension between Anne and Gilbert is finally over and they marry, they go on to have a large family. (Sorry if I'm ruining the plot for anyone out there). It's been awhile since I've had the time or motivation to read it again, but I remember absolutely falling in love with the idea of having a little boy like one of Anne's. It was the one she always referred to as 'the little brown boy'. For some reason, while many educational theories and geographical terms have slipped the memory, that idea has stuck in my brain even to now, and I have my own mischievious 'little brown boy', just like Anne. (Grin)

Let me tell you about the wondrous child known as Mekaia. He is happiest when creating

(a) some type of obnoxious noise; or

(b) some kind of humonguous mess!

I say this in a loving way. He doesn't do it maliciously, it's just the way he is. Anything that looks remotely like a sword (pencil crayons, paintbrushes, my feather duster...) will become a dangerous weapon sooner rather than later. He loves his sister. But sparing and poking is what swords were made for, were they not? If it doesn't become a weapon, it becomes a drumstick for the nearest tin or coffee table.

My son does not walk. Not that he sits still for any length of time. He stomps. He jumps (all 40 pre-coordinated lbs of him). He stampedes. If he runs into something, that is part of the fun.

He doesn't necessarily play with a toy as it was intended...toys are most fun when they are

(a) being dumped on the floor (a very satisfying sound you know)

(b) being scattered wildly by arms or feet

(c) being thrown

(d) pretending to talk to each other (which always comes out in a yelling voice for some reason)

(e) falling from great heights

or

(f) all of the above.

He is quite entertaining to watch, and quite exhausting to clean up after.

He is such a BOY!

Most mornings there is a train of chairs winding around my kitchen before 8 am, masquerading as a 'choo-choo'. There are teddy bears riding the train, with Mekaia driving, fire hat on, sound effects and all. This does make it difficult to get around for my morning tasks, especially in my dazed wake-up mode.

Despite all his loud rambunction (credit for that word goes to Mr. Jacob Prasch) he is actually unbelievably sensitive, tender, loving and gentle. He is ALWAYS ready with an easy smile or a hug. He is super helpful when he wants to be (he is already exhibiting the male behavior of selective hearing, which we are working on!), and has been caught reading books to his bears and to Matalena, in such a teacherly, gentle way. He mumbles away in a very manly way, complete with gestures and pointing, inserting words he knows here and there; the other day he was telling Matalena about the "bobbit"...that's a rabbit, and then it's 'de en' (the end). He is a dichotomy of over-sensitive, demanding, drive-mom-up-the-wall, loud, obnoxious, stubborn behavior and a great big gentle, loving teddy bear. That's my boy.

I have to share with you this moment from the other morning...we had been having such a frustrating time already. Mekaia was up early, dumping toy boxes for the fun of it, grumpy already at 8:30, not getting along with Lesina, and spilling his breakfast everywhere. I was about to throw him right out the window (just kidding ok?) when Lesina starts quoting her memory verse (which she had been saying ad nauseum randomly throughout the day...always with the same inflection in her voice):

LET the children COME to me. DON'T stop them. For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are the same as THESE CHILDREN.

And I thought to myself, yes, that is appropriate. As much as my patience is long gone, how much more must God be at the end of His patience with us? And yet, He tell these little ones they are welcome and loved and accepted in His Kingdom, though they have nothing to offer at all. They are precious to Him! It was kind of a funny moment, and it gave me a bit of perspective to deal with all the messes and disobedience!!