We were at the house of a dear friend the other night, for my church small group. It had been a tough discussion and my friend and I had sat afterwards talking (and crying) through some of the tough stuff I was struggling with, not the the least of which involved my desire for someone wonderful to come into our lives. Flash had spent the evening corrupting the minds of small children, namely my friend’s two youngest, two boys aged four and two.

As we were leaving, my friend thanked Flash for coming along and playing with the little ones. It’s no small thing to her that he comes along to help with the kids when the other teenage boys get together at another house for the evening. Flash shook off the compliment with a typical teenage, “no problem,” and then stopped to say to her how he envied her six year old son.

Caught off guard, my friend looked at Flash quizzically, wondering how it could be that Flash might say such when it was obviously her six year old who is completely enraptured with Flash.

“You’re jealous of K?” she asked Flash.

“Absolutely.” He replied in all seriousness. “I’m envious because K has a little brother.”

“I’ve got lots of people to do something with. I just don’t have anyone to do nothing with.”

Sigh.

I don’t have any pictures. That was my sister’s job. (Note: I didn’t even take my own camera to the McGraw concert, we just used Jacob’s little one. I didn’t want to spend the night obsessed with pics…I just wanted to savor the moment in real time!) But let me just say that while I could do without Trace Adkins altogether, Martina McBride can sing like no one else can. She is talented beyond measure, beautiful inside and out and put on a terrific show! I’m so glad we got free tickets (and upgraded once we got there, even!) and that my sister joined me for the evening! What a great time!

We were just chatting after school while I checked email and graded some papers. I didn’t even realize we were dancing around an issue until he said, “I’ll tell you at dinner.” I stopped and looked at Flash trying to discern if the topic was going to be a good one or not. “Why not just tell me now?” I asked. “Nope. I’ve got it all planned out. It will have to wait for dinner.” I tried to get him to budge, but clearly the topic was off-limits until I had food on the table.

I got up and went to the kitchen to cook.

When there was food in front of him, Flash said with a coy smile, “HALT!” – our phrase for Highs and Lows and Thankfulness at the table. I gave him a “mom-look” and said my low of the day was that I had to wait to hear whatever Flash’s great news was. We both chuckled. Flash’s low had something to do with Science (I think. It’s all a little fuzzy now.)

We moved right on to highs as my brain began thinking through to possibilities. I had already figured out that since it was Tuesday and Tuesdays meant English gifted class with the Object of His Affection, I had no doubt the news had something to do with The Girl. The smile on his face confirmed it. I gave him a look.

“Well, it’s official, Mom. I’ve kissed my first girl. And it was way better than how you said your first kiss with a boy was.”

“What did you do, kiss her in class?!” I asked, almost afraid to know the answer.

“No! We all went to the WMU library today in class to do research for our conspiracy-theory papers and so…”

“…you took her back into the stacks and kissed her. I see how you work.”

Flash laughed. He was full of confidence and courage and he was officially wearing the shield of nothing-can-harm-me-because-a-girl-digs-me. It was cute. I have to admit.

I know this means the world to Flash. It’s a milestone he’s been anxiously hoping for and he’s just tickled to have finally arrived.

I don’t expect for one minute that I’ll be privvy to many more of such milestones (and I’m thankful for that). But it was a special and sweet moment with my boy. I hope it’s a long while before his heart gets broken.

Well, Scratch has been scratched.

Sigh.

It’s the right thing, but the hard thing. Faith just isn’t something I will compromise on and we were just too far apart in that area to make anything work. I would rather be alone for all the right reasons than with someone for all the wrong ones (at least most days).

This news will be perhaps most devastating to TB (you remember TB?) who was quite convinced from my previous blog posts that Scratch and I were soon to wed. (?!?!?) Sorry to disappoint, TB. You’re the only one who is soon to wed. Feel free to stop reading my blog at any point. I’m sure your fiancee would appreciate it. I know I would.

On a related note, (to dating, NOT to TB) I think I’m going to take dating lessons from Flash. So far, he has wowed his girl with…sock puppets and now he is constructing an alien-blocking tin foil cap for the class he shares with this girl. I’m not sure which scares me more, the fact that he is unabashedly creating these things without any fear of embarrassment in front of the object of his affection or the fact that after having seen (and perhaps smelled) his sock puppets (and soon his conspiracy-theory hat), she still digs my boy.

I’ll have to get back to you on which one it is. I’m a little busy tonight making a hat and puppets to impress my next suitor…

…that for as much as Flash l-o-v-e-s his new trumpet music from “Pirates of the Caribbean” that came complete with a full orchestra accompaniment disc which can only be played at top volume on the surround sound (sorry neighbors; Thanks, God, for the house!) Eli, my poor, howling puppy is not nearly so amused. Every evening I’m entertained by Flash’s increasing abilities on his trumpet and Eli’s ongoing antics.

Flash is uber-eager to get in the house and get the stereo cranked and his trumpet out and the dog just looks at me like, “Seriously, can’t you make him stop?”

As for me, I love it all. It’s great to hear Flash playing and working hard to get the notes and rhythyms he doesn’t know and I get to watch the puppy lay his head back and howl…and howl….and howl. Even when he’s hiding under the coffee table and he hits his head. (And maybe even more so then.)

On a cold, blustery, winter day, with snow blowing all around and the wind chill, well, chilly…I thought it was prudent to stop and get gas on the way home. Besides, Flash was in the car with me which meant I didn’t even have to get out at the pump.

While the boy froze, generously helped his mother, I was in the warm car listening to the radio. I’m a dial flipper, so the fact that the announcer was talking and I hadn’t changed stations yet is a miracle in itself. He said something about being down the street handing out Birthday Bash tickets. Nothing I was interested in. But then he added, “We also have Martina McBride tickets for next Thursday night.”

When Flash got back in the car and we drove off towards home, I asked if he would have any interest in seeing Martina in concert. He quickly shook his head and gave me one of those teenage looks that said, “If my mom likes the singer, I don’t, duh.” And so I dropped it.

For a block or two.

Then I picked up my cell and called my sister. “Would you have any interest in seeing Martina McBride in concert and could you be free next Thursday?” I asked. While she flipped her calendar and told me how she had just been talking about what a good concert that would be that morning with George at the bus stop, I turned my car around and headed back to where the man had said he was handing out tickets. Flash made it perfectly clear that not only was he NOT going to this concert with me if I did get tickets, but he was NOT going to be the one to go and ask some dude for tickets.

She said she’d love to go if I got tickets and so I parked the car and left it running while Flash shook he head at his crazy amazing mother. I approached the two men standing outside the restaurant cautiously. “Do you perchance have….um…tickets?” I asked, afraid I was looking like a fool. There was no radio van, no indication that there was anyone there with anything to give away. Just a stretch limosine parked in front. The guys smiled at me and said, “Yep.” I said, “Martina tickets?” knowing I wasn’t much interested in the Birthday Bash. “Yep!” The first guy answered and headed to the limo. He returned with two tickets to the concert and three cd’s, telling me I could also choose a CD if I wanted to.

I wasn’t sure what CD. The only artist I knew was Miranda Lambert, and while the guy said he had heard it was a good one, Miranda is always p.o’ed at men, and so I chose a Josh Thompson CD instead.

I returned to my car and sent a text to my sister, “I have two tickets!”

So, tomorrow night, Flash and I are off to see Tim McGraw and Lady Antebellum. Next Thursday my sister and I will head back to see Martina McBride and Trace Atikins – for free! What a great week!!

All this AND a tank of gas I didn’t pump!

You all know how much I just love those t-shirts slapped onto our children advertising sibling rivalry, bad manners and behaviors and other ideas I think we ought to reconsider as parents. Today’s was equally bad: “If I throw a stick, will you go away?”

Really?

I’m not sure what worries me more: that some parent thought this was funny and bought it, or that there are enough people who think this clever that the shirt was mass produced in the first place.

Sigh.

Tuesday evening I had stroganoff with mushrooms for dinner with asparagus (with hollandaise sauce!) and artichoke dip – all from scratch by Scratch! Last night we had dinner at church with a couple different delicious entree choices. Tonight is KICK’N and Flash is making goulash, spinach salad and bread.

I could really get used to this!