Say Cheese!

Rassle Frat (MSW) - I think this may be another cartoon swearword.

Cheese turned 12 years old at the end of April.  I love this kid.  He is so kind, sweet and sensitive.  He was born 2 1/2 weeks early as well.  How's that for awesome?!  Almost every morning he wakes up and comes in my room to give me a hug and tell me he loves me.  Such a sweetheart!

He sure is growing up and with that, he is testing the boundaries.  Where do I begin?  Hmmm......let's start at church a few weeks ago.  When a boy turns 12 in the Church of Latter-day Saints, he is presented in front of the ward (parish for you catholics) for a sustaining vote.  He is going to be given the priesthood.  The priesthood is given to all worthy male members.  So my handsome 12 year old is in front of our whole church.  Making faces!  Stupid faces, in front of the whole congregation.  I don't know whether to give him the evil eye from our seats or beat him up when he is home.  So instead, I start busting up laughing.  The whole thing takes about a minute or two.  Afterwards he comes and sits with us again.  He came down, said to his older sister, Apple, "You owe me a dollar!"  Apple bet him money to do it!  Little stinker children!

Now that he is 12, he is also an official Boy Scout.  They are working on the bicycling merit badge.  It's not easy!  The other day they went on a 15 mile bike ride.  He told me a little about the ride.  Please imagine the following being said by an extremely excited 12 year old "Mom, he were riding down this big "S" curve!"  Say the last three words really fast.  It sounds like he said big a## curve.  Again, should I scold him?  Nope, I just laughed.  I couldn't help it!  You would too!

The other day we had our stake conference.  This is like several different parishes coming together for a meeting.  We had 2 general authorities of the church come to speak with us.  A general authority is like have the one of the Pope's right hand man coming to speak to you.  One of the men, L. Tom Perry spoke to us.  That is like the guy who is next in line to be the Pope come.  It's a big deal.  This man is a leader to millions of Mormon's across the world.  My 12 year old met him in the hallway before the meeting.  He shook his hand.  With a giant ring pop in his mouth!  I am horrified!  If you met the president of the United States, or even some ambassador for another country, would you shake his/her hand with a ring pop in your mouth?  Heck, I wouldn't meet the mayor of some small hick town with a ring pop in my mouth!  Rassle Frat....kids are great!