a very, very dim light at the end of a very, very long tunnel

First off, I'd like to apologize to my other kids that my posts lately have been (and I still have a couple more stories to tell) mostly about Christopher this past week or so.  It's just been same old, same old for the rest of the kids. Not much new to report.  Squeaky wheel gets the grease, I guess.

Anyway,  most mornings Christopher and I go for a walk.  Well, he rides his bike, and I do my best to keep up.   

It doesn't really have much bearing on this particular story, but I just wanted to mention Christopher's almost rigid adherence to a schedule.  Around 6 am, (even on Saturdays) he crawls in bed with me and cuddles, and elbows me, and kicks, and squirms, and asks all sorts of silly questions "Where's mommy's blue eyes?" until I drag my sorry butt out of bed.  At which point we have to go down and read scriptures with the family and say a family prayer. He sits next to me with a particular "brown blankie."  After the kids go off to school, then he starts hounding me about going for a walk.  "Put on mommy's gray pants!"  ( exercise pants).

A few times a week we meet up with a friend Jamie* and her son Joey*  and walk together.   (*names have been changed to protect the innocent)  Anyway, Joey and Christopher ride up ahead, while Jamie and I try to keep up.  Much to Jamie's frustration, Joey likes to drop his shorts and pee on one particular bush about halfway through the walk.  Every. Single. Time.  (I personally find it hilarious, but more than anything I am sorta thrilled about it because Christopher is right next to him, watching and hopefully, cross your fingers, taking notes.)

Usually he doesn't drop his pants all the way, but the stance is unmistakable.  However, Friday, I looked over, and could tell Joey had dropped his shorts all the way to his ankles.  And then, Christopher was standing next to him, with his shorts around his ankles, and striking the same hips pushed forward pose.

I cheered.  It's something.

Of course, there was only one wet spot on the ground. So it wasn't a total success.

But it was something.