We now have a teenager in the house!

Once again it is my time to indulge myself and pick all the positive things about Christian and air it.

Christian's fudge cake

• Christian is kind through and through.
• He is willing to help 90% of the time.  (After having 4 boys, I realize that is a virtue.)
• He is always willing to cheer up a brother or play with them - sometimes before I even ask, if he see's I'm stressed and one of the boys is being difficult, he'll intervene and jump in and help.  To this I'm very grateful!
• He is creative.
• He is smart.  (He tested into the gifted and talented program.  The funny story is that he has had a bit of a difficult transition to having 6 classes instead of the couple in elementary school.  He has learned the hard way that you really have to turn in your work.  Well, there was a test that they gave to see who would get in the top 10% of the school.  Christian made it in and to surprise the kids, they called them into a classroom to break the news.  The kids were trying to guess why they were in there.  One girl said, "Maybe it's because we all have A's."  Christian quickly ruled that one out by saying, "Um, I have 5 C's."  So while he is smart, he's working on follow through.  Second semester he has greatly improved his grades to all A's and one B.)
• He started tackle football this year and loved it.  It was great fun to watch and I found myself actually becoming a football fan.  His coach said if every player played with the heart and enthusiasm that Christian had that they wouldn't lose a game.  The other kids had had one more year of tackle football than Christian had, but before long, he became the starting line backer.
• He plays trombone in the band.  For their band concert the trombone section decided it would be cool if the boys had matching bow-ties and the girls matching bows.  They were going to go to the mall together and buy them, but someone said that would be like a date.  So instead a girl in their section made them all matching bow-ties/bows.  They were the envy of the 7th grade band.
• He is a thinker.
• He has a kind smile.
• His church teachers often stop me or Glenn to tell us what a neat kid he is.
• He is easy to talk to.
• He is thoughtful.
• His sense of humor is developing into something really enjoyable.
• He will try anything.  If we suggest any sport or lesson, he'll try it.  He'll try it whether or not he has a friend involved.  
• He is grateful and appreciative.
• He is responsible.
• He is great company.
• He is friendly.
• He tried jujitsu and kick boxing this summer.  His coaches pulled me aside and told me how much potential he had.  They said not only was he very quick on his feet, but he was so coachable.  They said if they told him to do something, he'd do it.  Not sure if MMA is the direction we're hoping his future is going, but it was a nice compliment anyway.
• His six grade teachers told me that Christian was their favorite to teach because of his enthusiasm.
• And to finish off Christian's time on the pedestal, I must mention that the "maddest kid in 6th grade" picked on Christian.  We told the principal and teacher.  They did nothing.  We finally told Christian to do what he needed to to protect himself.  Well, he did.  They got in a fight and that kid didn't know what hit him.  We're so proud of Christian.  The other kid was suspended, but not Christian because the principal knew Christian had simply had enough.
• He is a big Lord of the Rings and Hobbit fan.  For his birthday, we took him and a friend to dinner and to the opening night of The Hobbit.
  
• I'm so glad Christian was born!