WHOOSH

Well hello buddy!

Much has changed since the last post, I am sure! As of right now you are playing Minecraft with your sister on separate Xbox's. We started the day with you wanting to play with me a bit and so I did and then I set you and your sister up and you guys have been having a lot of fun air-dropping kitties on her camp and what not.

Let's see... An eventful year! You have been attending 2nd grade and I think maybe it's a little better than first grade. For one, I think you do better with this teacher (Ms. Swisher) than you did with Ms. Bruegger. Ms. Bruegger is nice don't get me wrong but I think Ms. Swisher's more structured style works better. Maybe - we'll see. For another thing, the mixture of kids is a little healthier - less troublemakers in your class. I keep asking you about it and you don't report too many problems so I'll take that as a good sign. You seemed to have a lot of fun yesterday. It's so cool to watch you mature (you will be 8 in just 3 months-ish). We used to have bedtime battles pretty much every night and now it seems to be a lot better. You are handling things and your emotions in a much more mature way than before and it is very rare these days that you get in trouble at all! I'm really enjoying it and just having fun with you!

So anyhow, you'll probably be reading this anywhere from 18-65 so I doubt you want to know about your bedtime battles. Let's see... you are doing well at math and spelling despite initially saying you hated math. I am trying to teach you that math can be fun and interesting so that you don't develop that opposition to it that most kids do (I know I did and I wish I had been more involved in it).

You are very sweet and you have a good heart son :) You are very kind and considerate and very intelligent so as long as you continue to control your emotions you will go very far in life. Don't let the seemingly unfair way life is ever take that optimism and zest for life away from you.

July 4th was fun this year though probably not quite as exciting as last year when we launched those big "Quest" shells. You had fun trick-or-treating as a space marine "Spartan" from Halo, even though Sabrina Kruse's little dog bit you. It didn't break the skin and we treated it with antibiotic and she said it had all of its shots and you seem to be okay. I got bit as a kid too! I was walking behind (what seemed to be) this giant dog while it was eating and it turned around and CHOMP right on my right abdomen. Not that that was good mind you! But when I told the story I pretended to CHOMP your right side and made you laugh about it so hopefully it didn't ruin your Halloween!

You love Zelda and have been getting back into it lately - something both mom and I adore. It is so fun to watch you play Zelda or Labo or Minecraft and just see that imagination of yours expand.

I can't wait to see how you grow and learn and mature as we careen towards your 8th birthday! I love you!