Zinabu

Oh, my sweet Lord, where do I begin?


Um, this. Pretty much all the time.

Zinabu really hasn't changed in the past year. He is still super inquisitive and super talkative (that's a nice way of saying he has to process out loud with words every single thought that passes through his brain) and super particular about not drawing attention to himself. For example, he still won't wear clothes with any writing on them, lest someone look at him and try to read his T-shirt.

He is also hi.lar.i.ous. David and I, more often than not, can be found trying not to laugh out loud in his presence at the ridiculous things he says. Sometimes when he's trying to be funny, but lots of times when he's just making regular conversation.

He picked out Pringles for a reading reward at school. The boy loves him some salty snacks.

Zinabu has a sweet heart, though. This past year two of his good friends got into a little trouble at recess and he was sick to his stomach all night long thinking about it. He hated that they had made a bad choice, and he hated that his buddies were facing consequences. He hated the conflict and wanted peace on Earth right that very minute.

He is also waaaaaay more determined than I am. He doesn't like to give up easily, and there are times when I want to throw up my hands because I can't answer his question or figure out how to fix something that he refuses to let me quit. Case in point, this photo of him when we went hiking. We were in Yosemite and it was just the two of us on this hike and it went straight up for what felt like hours. My knees were screaming at me, and every twenty minutes or so I would say, "Zinabu, we should really turn around now." He would look at me like I had just suggested we eat snakes for breakfast and say, "Pleeeeeaaaasssseee, Mom, let's keep going. I really want to make it to the top." Thanks to him, we did.


Don't let that railing fool you. It was only there for about 15 yards, to keep people from

plummeting to their death off the ledge.

Zinabu loves to learn, and school is easy for him. I don't say that lightly (because I have two others who do not find school easy in the least) but I'm glad that school won't necessarily be a struggle for him. If his school switches to uniforms with writing on the shirts, then we've got problems.

Zinabu is a doll, loves to help, loves to make sure I'm not getting too tired, and loves one-on-one time with David or me. We work hard to give that to him, because it fills up his love tank to overflowing and yet it's such a simple thing.

Zinabu, I'm so torn! I love watching you grow up, but please slow down!