He's 12!

What!? I don't  know how it happened but Ethan is 12. As of this very day, my son, my son, holds the Aaronic priesthood. He has collected fast offerings and has passed the sacrament and has made his mother cry many tears of joy.  It really is the strangest thing.  First of all, I can't possibly be this old.  Secondly, I've seen this coming and have looked forward to it but wasn't quite prepared.  I can't explain it.  

Let's start with the fun stuff.... the birthday party.
This was Ethan's last childhood "birthday party" if you will.  No more invitations, presents, games, etc.  He'll obviously still get to celebrate his birthday every year and have parties occasionally, but the parties will most likely morph into those teenage parties that are significantly different from the parties of children.  My difficulty this year was trying to host a party with a child theme for boys that aren't necessarily little.  Ethan is loving dinosaurs right now and not the cutesy animated side of dinosaurs but the paleontology, science side of dinosaurs and dinosaurs was the theme he wanted for his last party.  How was I going to do that? A dinosaur party is a cinch for a 5 year old, but a 12 year old? It was tricky.  Luckily, Ethan wanted to plan the whole thing.  Sweet! That is definitely a perk to having older children.  So plan it he did. He came up with all the games and JayDee and I helped iron out the details.  It turned out to be really fun. His friends had a great time. 

5 games were planned:
#1- Dinosaur Dash
Pretty much a game of tag. They ran around with socks in their back pockets and if you're sock got pulled you had just been eaten by the dinosaur that pulled your sock.
 

Oh! Did I forget to mention they all had dinosaur hats.  I wasn't quite sure how they would go over but they liked them and wore them the whole day.  They're not so grown up after all.  :)

#2 - Fossil Frenzy
This game was the paleontology based one. The first one to dig up 5 "fossils" won.

 
#3 - Dinosaur Stomp
Aaaaa...the good old tie a balloon on your ankle and try to pop everyone else's balloon before yours is popped by someone else game.   

#4 - Carnivore Crunch
This one was easy enough...hung in trees all over the yard were beef jerky sticks.  All the boys had to do was "hunt" one down and eat it off the string without hands.  The first one done wins.  

 

#5 - Extinction

We saved the best for last. One of the theories that Ethan thinks is a plausible reason for the dinosaurs extinction is meteors.  What better way to symbolize extinction than dodge ball. The game was designed with a large circle painted on the grass for the Earth,the boys split into teams and had to try to hit the boys on the Earth with their meteors.  It was hilarious.  They loved this one and so did JayDee.  

Cake and presents followed.  

In honor of a possible future in paleontology.

 Ethan said it was his best birthday yet.

 

October 27th - birthday and party

October 28th - even better than birthday and party (for me)

 Ethan received the priesthood.  

I wish I could have taken a picture of Ethan standing on the stand in his suit with our Bishop as he announced Ethan's advancement from primary and then asking for our stustaining vote for Ethan to receive the Aaronic Priesthood and be ordained to the office of deacon.  I was all smiles even though my eyes were a little drippy.  What a great experience.  The awesome milestones that mothers get to look forward to and experience are priceless.  The wonderful thing is, in the short time Ethan has had the priesthood he has grown so much.  He is really taking this seriously and is trying hard to understand his role in the gospel plan.  It's so amazing.  

Yesterday he passed the sacrament for the first time.  I was pretty nervous for him at first, hoping the other deacons had given him some good instruction and an easy part of the chapel to serve to, but then as he stood and began administering the sacrament to others I just sat there weeping.   I can't even describe my feelings properly.  I am so flawed as a mother.  I try to do my best but there are days that I literally chase the Spirit from our home.  I worry that I'm not teaching my children the gospel well enough because I'm not the perfect example.  So to witness my son, the boy I carried and delivered, the boy I've loved and who has taught me so much, the boy I watched grow into this young man passing the sacrament, I just couldn't contain my gratitude and it came out in tears.  I was and am so grateful for a Brother, a Savior, a Friend who makes up for all that I lack.  There is no way I could have raised this wonderful child on my own and had him turn out right.  I just couldn't do it but He makes up the difference.  What a remarkable truth and I thank Him everyday for His help and for the opportunity to be a part of His great plan of happiness.  I can honestly say, nothing has ever made me happier than to be a mother.  I know Ethan is only 12 and there are many years ahead and many experiences yet to have before I can call it a victory but this moment testifies that I am not alone and that I am loved and as long as I remember that....we'll make it. :)