little/big

The other night I went and crawled in bed with Braxton before he fell asleep. I needed some time with just him and it seemed like the only chance I had. We talked about school and his friends and what he does at recess. That day in particular he played chase outside with his friends. He and his little buddy were the dogs and two little girls were the cats and the dogs chased the cats around the playground. Isn't that the cutest, most innocent thing you've ever heard!?

I love this boy who I've noticed has gone un-blogged lately. He is growing up really fast and yet, still such a little boy. I love this picture of him because to me he looks like a teenager. Sometimes the things he says just knock my socks off and he can make me laugh so hard. He has so much whit and charm and I love to be around him. Like for example sometimes when Adelle says something silly, which is often, Braxton will look at her and go, "Oye," and shrug and it's the funniest thing to me.

Today after school as he is walking home, with his whole parade of a family, this little girl (whose name gets brought up often in our home) yelled, "bye Braxton," to which he smoothly turned around and said, "bye." It made me smile. Here he is. The oldest. Walking home with his sister who is dressed like a clown and his little brother who can't quite keep up and his mother who has spit up down the front of her shirt from the baby in the front pack and he's totally happy, totally cool, totally chill.

That's Braxton. He is just awesome.

The other week when he was home sick I told him that I liked having him home and I asked him if I could homeschool him. Adelle chimed in too and was chanting, "yeah, please Brax!!" We all love to have him around. He responded really thoughtfully with a, "mom, that's a really hard choice because I just love home and I love school."

It seems like when I do listen to the radio or read the paper or catch a news headline (which isn't very often) I get anxious and I worry about my children, and the world they are growing up in. I wonder what new words they are learning at school or what all they are being exposed to. I sure there is some that I wouldn't necessarily approve of.  But in reality, after stomping on my fearful thoughts and engaging with this young lad I am so comforted to know who he is and what he is about. He is so young still, so little, so innocent. And yet, when I look at this picture or hear his sarcasm he is so not little.

Do you get it?