Getting to know you- pt 3- Ethan James

I need to hurry and finish these posts because tomorrow I am exchanging my computer for prayer in effort to seek God's will in this adoption of ours. So, before you even read these posts, stop and pray for us and Miley, will you? We want to be servants of God. We want to follow his calling...I just wish I knew for sure where that calling was to! I have dreams about this brown eyed, dark haired girl....anyway, just pray for us. I'll be back online Thursday or Friday. If you need me, call me, no matter where you are, no matter how far....everyone now! cuz baby there ain't no mountain high en....on with the show.

Ethan is 7 and God talks to Ethan. Really, those 2 statements are all you really need to know about E because that is him. Devoted. Devoted to his family and devoted to God. I can not count the times that Ethan has come to me and said, "Mom, God told me this" or "Mom, God gave me this song." And you know it's genuine. It's not the kind of thing one can just make up, at least not one so small. Ethan scares me to death sometimes because he describes heaven to me as if he has seen glimpses of it. He told me that God has called him to be a prophet. I know, I know, this all sounds a little freaky and unreal, but I promise you, it's true.

Ethan is sensitive, to a fault. He's my crier (takes after his Mom, I cry at the weirdest things) and he takes everything personally. One day he lost Princess (his hamster, see previous posts). He decided she would be safest in his bed, which was the top bunk, and left her there while we went someplace. We came back, she was gone. All I heard was this low, mournful wail coming from Ethan's room...and Ethan was hitting himself on the head saying how stupid he was and how he lost her and just beating his little self to death. It was horrible. We did find the little rat and put her back in her cage where she has stayed safe and sound. Which brings me to another point about Ethan.

Ethan loves animals. He wanted a puppy with his whole heart, so we got one. Those were his exact words; "Mom, I want a puppy...with my whole heart." How do you say no to that? When we went on our Mommy/Son date, we went to the zoo. Where did he want to go for his birthday? The zoo. Who spends hours with the horses at my dad's camp? Ethan. Who cries when he sees something dead on the side of the road? Ethan. Or when we went to Minnesota during hunting season and saw all the deer in the trucks? You get the picture. Oh, and he also prays every time my Dad goes hunting...that he won't see any deer. Don't tell Ethan you are a hunter, you will never get anything again.

Ethan loves to tumble. When Ethan was 4, I signed him up for gymnastics because he told me he wanted to be Spiderman and I figured this was the best route for him to get those moves down. Ethan rocks at tumbling. He was the Illinois state champ last year and this year it is possible for him to go to nationals in Ohio. He also added trampoline to his repertoire. It's pretty fun. And as long as he is enjoying himself, I will do whatever it takes to keep him in it.

Ethan loves art. You should see the illustrations he has done! Last year, in public kindergarten, he came home with a new book that he wrote everyday! (part of the reason we are homeschooling this year....long story) His best work, of course, include his animals and he even has a series called "The Adventures of Cheesy the Mouse." Someday I should scan these in for you so you can see them.

Ethan loves his brothers. Noah is his best friend. They do just about everything together, especially now that we are homeschooling. Right now I am listening to them "rest" in their rooms. Really, they are just having fantastic conversations. I like to eavesdrop. :) They just laugh and play and fight and wrestle. I asked Noah to describe Ethan once, he told me that Ethan is "the funniest person in the world." That's fairly accurate.

I should have entitled this post "Things Ethan Loves". He is such a neat kid and he just doesn't fit into a typical description box. If you really want to get to know Ethan, you just need to spend a day with him. He is pretty fantastic.