17. Matt

Matthew was born a hero, my hero, his brother's hero. In this picture, he is wearing the personally-made cape from his dad which he's had since he was three. I've always described Matthew as my breath of fresh air, although he is admittedly exhausting too.

Matthew is the type of child that would say, "Wow, mom, you washed all my clothes? Thanks mom" and he has. Or get an ice cream at McDonald's and say, "Let's go home, bud, and we'll share it" while putting his arm around his brother's shoulders.

I love how he watches over his younger brother, how he shares everything with him, and how he plays on his level except when they are running and somehow Matt gets lost in the present moment and finds himself the winner. The present moment is where Matt lives most of the time and I know this because for the most part I don't exist in his moments.

I exist in the organized world of order and Matt exists in fun, imaginative, Matt world. I noticed his world today when he stood in the field of grass with his sport suit coat on and a skull belt cinched around his waste while playing his 5 stringed guitar to the rhythm of the practicing marching band. 

I love how he is the first to express sorrow if he offended or injured someone because everyone is his friend. I also love when he hugs me because he reads my energy and knows when I deserve Heavenly Father's love, which flows through him.

He isn't aware yet what the notes say from all the girls in his class at school, except that they say "I Love You" and that they mean thanks for making me feel special. He makes everyone he meets feel special including his toy dogs. In this picture he's declared today their birthday. We celebrated with cake, ice cream, and of course gifts.

Matt can go shopping for hours and only say once before we ever enter the store he'd prefer to stay home.  He'd also never need to buy anything at the store during the trip even if everyone else carried out their golden bags.

Matthew has been cracking jokes since he was 18 mos. old when he put his tongue on the kitchen table and whined mimicking Christmas movie with the ice cold telephone pole. He enjoys making other's laugh even if it includes crude noise like armpit farts or underwear talk which usually only impresses other boys.

I love how Matt will thank me for a delicious dinner and admit "oh ya I forgot" when I remind him for the 5th time to pick up his things. His papers, robes, back packs, toys, money, letters, whatever collection he is playing with at the time. And it's always a collection, a gathering of things. We've agreed that he can bring whatever he can haul himself . 

I honor him for his clutter, his imagination, his selective hearing, his forgetfulness, his funny dress-up clothes, his collections, his joy, his acceptance, his gratitude, his faith.