Thankful for Trouble

These days, Zachary is without a doubt full of trouble!  He served his first couple of time-outs this week for smacking his older brother.  He arches his back and screams until he is blue in the face when he doesn't get his way.  He still crawls up and stands on our kitchen table and countertops, and when he is sternly corrected, he reaches to hug me and says in his sweetest, buttering-up little voice, "Mama, Mama..."  He doesn't seem to learn, after flipping and falling backwards off chairs, that they're not to be danced on.  He begs to play outside with the big boys while they ride bikes up and down the sidewalk.  And he didn't care too much when one neighbor boy accidentally ran him over.  He hops in his little Cozy Coupe, pushes off, and heads straight down the driveway towards the street.  My own heart skips a beat as I scream and run after him, just as he reaches the curb.  He won't sit patiently in the shopping cart, but stands up and begs to be held.  Then he wiggles out of my arms, breaks free and selects his own merchandise to load into the cart.  When we reach the checkout, he screams "Bop!  BOP!" as we pass the Pepsi display, and enters a secret code on the keypad of the credit card machine.  Even as I type, Zachary attempts to close the computer shut when I don't agree to his request to watch YouTube tractor videos.  And every morning and afternoon he insists on watching his "All About John Deere" DVD over, and over, and OVER...

Yet even as he scatters a huge box of Legos all over the living room floor, even as he silently drops his raspberry popsicle on my new carpet where I find it in a melted puddle an hour later,  I find myself very thankful.  Thankful for all the toddler trouble he is able to cause.  Thankful that he can throw a holy fit and turn blue in the face without passing out.  Thankful that he is so quick on his feet and full of energy that you would never guess he has just half a heart.

This week especially, I am very thankful for Zachary's trouble.  This week especially, I am reminded of all he has gone through to be with us causing trouble today.  Because today I am thinking and praying for several of his little heart buddies who are still struggling.

Pray for Olivia!

Zachary and Olivia shared their first kiss last month

I'm praying for Olivia, who is having her Fontan surgery today.  For Bowen, who had his first surgery on Monday and is now on life support.  For Colton, a fellow Wichitan, who just arrived back home from his Norwood and awaits his Hemi-Fontan this fall.  For all these little U of M patients and the many other heart children out there that aren't in the condition to cause trouble like Zachary.  Please join me in praying for them, and stop by Colton's and Bowen's websites to offer your support.

Be thankful that your children can sometimes cause trouble!


Trouble on the countertops


Trouble watching tractors on YouTube


Trouble at the beach


Trouble on his tractor


Trouble digging for....