Just Jake ;-)

The other day, I was sending an email to my home school group about holiday traditions. One was about how my dad hides the Baby Jesus, and on Christmas morning, places him in the manger. Jake was reading this and said, "We don't have a nativity set to do that." I told him we did, but he said "No, we got rid of that ugly thing." "Ya, we did get rid of that, but we have another one." I jumped up from the computer and went to the hall closet, opened the Christmas box and pulled out a Ziploc bag. "Melanie, found this at a yard sale and I brought it home the last time we went to visit." In the bag was a very cute block Nativity. I was so excited about showing him this thing, that I pulled out one of the little animals, and holding it up exclaimed, "Do you know what the selling point was?! It's child proof!" Then, keeping direct eye contact with him, I flung this little, wooden, pointy block at the floor! As it ricocheted into the family room, I said "See?!"

As Jake's eyebrows rose, the emotion was a little hard to read...astonishment, confusion, pain, I couldn't tell exactly. Then, in a very quit voice he said "You just hit my foot." I busted up laughing! I couldn't help it. I laughed so hard I started crying! I should have watched where I threw that little animal 'cause I gave Jake a good sized bruise and a blood blister. Even now, I'm laughing about it!

I apologized a few times, but each time, I would start laughing more. And Jake, being so good natured, would grin and poke back with some little comment like "You're not crying because you feel bad. You're crying because you think it's funny!"

Oh, it was funny...

Jake will also be returning to school next semester. He hasn't been to school in almost six years; but, yesterday he met with an advisor at Utah State to set up his game plan. He found out that he has enough credits for an associates - but is missing a few core classes. That means it wont take him very long to finish. And then on to his Bachelor's. WOOHOOOO for Jake!