BVDUn9e4r58wfjdeiHvhdo...Sorry, My Brain Just Exploded

Ahhh dear readers (who consist mainly of my family and a handful of friends who somehow find me amusing) I give you my apologies for neglecting this blog. I set it up, tease you about it in every e-mail I send you and then never post anything new or original. Please forgive me.

I want to write pages and pages on about the interesting things that my mind ponders but these days I only have room in my brain for the production of my dinner theatre, and, occasionally, my children's names. (Well not really, I have just been taking to call them "The Short One" and "The Shorter One")

We had our first live audience last night and our show was met with kind reviews. People laughed, my boss (and the church's pastor) really liked it and we even fooled a Homicide Sheriff who was sure someone else had committed the murder. Tonight is opening night and, oddly, our smallest for attendance. I am hoping we get a ton of people showing up at the door to buy tickets.

All of this is to say that I plan to post my thoughts, revelations and commentary that Will Change The World soon. Right now I have to go feed The Short One and The Shorter One has a runny nose.

My Life Has Felt Like an Epilogue

"Ever since Walt died, my life has felt like an epilogue."
T.S. Garp "The World According to Garp"

I am currently toward the end of the book that this quote is taken from and it has been a journey to read. Before you go away-this blog is not a book review. Instead, it is a LIFE review.

We all have moments in life that change us. It could be a bad hair style on the wrong day to some thing like a family member dying. I myself have experienced many life changing events. My parents had an awful and very public crisis and consequential split, I had a very dear and wonderful uncle pass away unexpectedly, the very odd and still not understood split of my husband's parents, the process of helping rebuild a church I love so much while in the wake of destruction my own father helped cause. There are a few of mine that I could use in the quote from above...

"Ever since my parent's split, my life has felt like an epilogue."
B. J. Zabrosky, October 1998

OR

"Ever since Uncle Jim died, my life has felt like an epilogue."
Bethany J. Zabrosky, Every March 3 of Every Year to Follow From Now Until Forever

However, despite these circumstances I have avoided the epilogue lifestyle. Instead I have picked up, moved on, and started a new chapter with Vista Grande Church. Started a new BOOK by having Nate the Great and Lucy Joy and even had to learn a new language as relationships rebuild from divorce.

You who are currently reading this and following this late evening train of thought, may I encourage you to participate in this exercise? Take your life changing event. The one that pops up in your mind each day. The one that is stopping you from moving on with your life. The one that can grip you with such fear that even your strongest of wills finds itself immovable and fill in the blank.

"Ever since ______________________, my life has felt like an epilogue."
You, Today and Right Now

Face it! Accept it! Look at it and stare at it. If you think have a moment in your life that you can put here than you need to realize it right now. Your life HAS become an epilogue. A moment of time has taken away all your future moments and captured your permanent attention. That's it. You are done. You will forever view life through that experience, that time of anguish. Say it out loud if you need to. It hurts. Let it hurt and allow it to leave your body with each exhale you take.

Can invite you to take another deep breath? Because I feel I might have some hope for you.

I have a Friend. A God who Reigns my Life. Who is Knower of All Things Good and Bad. And, what's more important, who is Knower of All Things Good and Bad IN MY LIFE. He has been called the Great Author for it is He who writes our beginnings and our ends and...our epilogues.

Who it is that can complete the Book of Anguish you filled in the blank with? My God.

Who has a fresh page, a brand new chapter for you to begin a whole new beginning? My God.

Who is it that loves you so much that He is begging you to ask Him to help you? Your God.

I say Your God because, frankly, most of you know of Whom I speak. Most of my blog readers are Christians who walk daily with the Lord Jesus, who call upon the Holy Spirit and who rely on their Heavenly Father for the things they need.

But

I also know that most of my blog readers have something to fill in the blank with. I know many of them so intimately that I could fill in the blank FOR them. But that is not my job.

My friends, God is begging (and I am begging) for you to take your Moments, your Disasters, your Life-Changing-Epilogue-Creating Times and hand them to Him. Find the strength, the courage to remove yourself from the book of your life that you are currently writing and start a new book. One of Hope for the Future, one with greater strength than before.

I started this posting as a way of commenting that I don't WANT to be like T.S. Garp and look at my life as an epilogue. I planned on talking of people I know who have been able to accomplish that. For example: While I lost an uncle, my aunt lost a husband. One who was the rock of his family and while she mourns his loss and acknowledges his absence from her everyday life, she picked herself up and married an amazing guy. One who was NOT my uncle but who LOVES her and together they are conquering the world airport by airport on all their adventures. THAT is a fine example of ending an epilogue.

But as I began writing, I felt the urging to do more than comment on the quote. I felt I needed to challenge someone out there to follow my aunt, follow me and others and begin that new chapter of life with God as the author. I felt so strongly that I cannot type fast enough, I am not concerned about my grammar or consistent metaphors because if this urging is from God, than He will have the Holy Spirit interpret my writings into an amazing spiritual revival for someone.

And so, dear reader...dear sister...dear friend...or total stranger. I invite you to join my exercise and I will be praying that your outcome can be nothing like the sad character of T.S. Garp's. I wish you Hope.

"Ever since ____________, my life has felt like an epilogue."

Step AWAY From the Baby (From the Archives)

This is one that makes me laugh and swell with pride over how much my sister loves my babies..but mostly laugh. We were selling our first house and searching for a new one. (We didn't find a new one for a few months and even got to stay with our good friends Scott and Susie for a few weeks before finding our current Poway home.) From Tuesday, July 8, 2003

So Kristy watched Nate the Great last night for the first time ever and she had an interesting experience …

Jeremy was out getting dinner and Kristy was holding Nathan when a lady comes to the door. She had looked at the house and had but a bid on it but was out bid by someone else. Then, she tells Kristy, she told her agent to counter back to us at $6000 higher and her agent said no. She wanted to come and talk to us in person and see if her agent was screwing her over or something. I guess she has tried to get 2 other places in this complex unsuccessfully. So all she wanted to do was talk to us.

Kristy said that the lady was visibly upset and is pretty sure that she didn't believe that Kristy wasn't the owner. She left a business card and asked Kristy to have us call her back.

Here is the funny part…(well, actually the story itself is the funny part but this part is all Kristy)…Kristy was holding Nathan who-I am sure-was being super cute but she didn't trust this woman and when the lady offered the business card Kristy said, "Put it in the mailbox." Then, shortly after that, Jeremy gets home and comes through the front door to get in the house. Kristy, when telling me the story, couldn't believe that he did that! "He opened the door and she could have darted right in!"

When she said that, I pictured some woman running into the house, mascara running and kissing my kitchen floors or something.

I told Kristy that I really appreciated her cautiousness. I teased her that she should have had the lady leave the card and then told her to "step away from the baby."

Nathan Zabrosky...2031

When looking back on the sounds of my childhood, mixed in with the sounds of laughter, music and the microwave cooking up dinner, I remember my mother talking to the laundry.
She didn't do laundry very often. There never was a "Laundry Day" in our house, just a "Hey Mom, I'm All Out of Clothes Day."

So my mom would park herself, bowing in front of the gleaming white washer (she had an odd need to keep it sparkling clean) and talk to the clothes. She would groan at the stains that slipped by and sweet talk the marks on a favorite shirt. All done over the sounds of a pumping spray bottle.

As much as she believed in God, Jesus Christ and the TV show "Friends" to make her laugh, she also believed in the power of stain removers. My mom never stuck to one kind either. She brand hopped and consistency jumped in the attempt to eradicate stains from the lives of her family. Although she was most partial to a subtle mix of the Shout Gel, Spray-n-Wash and a daub of the Clorox Bleach Pen. That's right, her bravery took her to concocting mixtures of all the stain fighters onto one garment.

The laundry took hours in my home. After talking to the clothes and throwing them in the washer (and after watching the beginning of the wash cycle swish and swirl through the front loading machine’s glass door-something that always thrilled her) my mother would hover over the machine, waiting for the "Laundry Complete" buzzer to sound. The magical glass door was thrown open and the clothes were up for inspection. Nothing could hide from my mom's watchful, stain fighting sight and the muttering, spraying, smudging and daubing began again. My mom refused to allow a stain to get the better of her and was known to wash my sister's shirts 3 or 4 times until the stain finally gave up. To quote her often heard phrase, "You picked a fight with the wrong mommy."

Now, 26 years later, I mutter at my own clothes and while my apartment washroom doesn’t give me the privacy my mom’s garage did, I too find myself sticking around for the magical beginning of the wash cycle through the glass door.

-Nathan Alexander Zabrosky, Age 28

Flip. Flip. Flip. Uh Oh. (From the Archives)

Before I started blogging, I used to send all my stories via e-mail. Some of them were funny, some were emotional and touching but they all were sent to the people I cared most about.

I started digging in the archives and decided to bring out some of my funniest and most memorable experiences over the next couple of days. For those of you who have read them before, I hope you laugh and cry like you did when they were new. And for those of you new to these stories, I hope you enjoy them.

This one is probably my favorite all time Nate the Great story...from Wednesday, April 14, 2004

So last night I was getting ready to get Act One. This was special because I was bringing one Nate the Great with me. I needed to pack his bag with his cup, toys, and PJ's. I also had to call Carol about something. I grabbed the phone and dialed while I stepped out in the garage to get clean PJ's from the dryer. Chatted with her husband for a bit and right when Carol got on the phone, I placed my hand on the doorknob to go back inside.

"Hello?"

"Oh my gosh, I am locked out of my house."

I didn't yell it, it was a statement of disbelief and yet total belief as my mind flashed a picture of Nathan earlier this week discovering the little tabs on doorknobs. Oh look Mommy, you can flip them and flip them back. Flip. Flip. Flip.

I had been "flipped" out of my house. Daddy isn't home. I am in the garage. I can at least try the front door.

Locked. Darn us for being so responsible!

I stood at the front door trying to see through the LOCKED security screen. I hear kitchen cabinets opening and closing. "Nathan, that's not your cabinet!" I yelled in there. I pictures glassware being pulled from the shelves. It is then that my helpful friend Carol (who I am still on the phone with since this was such an amusing and entertaining event) tells me the story of when her twin girls locked her out of the house on purpose and went to the fridge and got out the CHOCOLATE CAKE. "That's not your cabinet, Nate!"

I go back and forth between the garage and front door, trying the doorknob in case he'd "unflipped" the lock. Nope. Peering through the screen so he knew I was there, I would give him reassuring words, "Don't worry baby boy, Mamma's right here." I was very concerned that he might freak out if he didn't see me after a while. Yeah, he didn't care.

I resigned myself to just waiting for David to get home from work so he might either have a key or come up with a brilliant entry plan. I wondered what my neighbors thought. I laughed at the story and immediately thought that I had to call everyone I knew how hilarious my son is. I also wondered if I should go to Target or Wal-Mart for those doorknob covers.

I decided Target, because I always love and excuse to go-wait a minute! The back door, the sliding glass door is open! I remembered that because I had GONE to Wal-Mart earlier and forgot to close it (we may be responsible but we aren't TOO responsible!) Now, how to get in. The latch to the gate is in the inside to that people can't walk in off the street and enter your house from the backyard. (Brilliant thinking.) I had to get creative. I saw one of my bigger and musclier neighbors and thought about asking him to jump over or hoist me up or something but it was then that I spied David's work ladder in the garage. Easy, set it up, climbed up, opened the gate, I was in!

"Nathan, I am back! Mommy is inside!"

I received the equivalent of a toddlers, "Oh. Hi."

David walked in the door only seconds later.

He agreed that we would go to Target as well.

Random Randomness

You know, it occours to me that Dora and Boots could rid themselves completely of thier "Swiper Problem" if they simply didn't walk around the forest singing about where they were going every 5 minutes.

The Profound Theology of a Three Year Old

We have been working on the God and Jesus thing with Nate the Great. We read Bible stories, talk about how it makes Jesus happy when Nathan obeys and how Jesus made ME the Mommy (stolen from a friend of Emmy's but it makes me feel important.)

Nathan came downstairs with a present for me (read: stuff he swiped from my bathroom counter, stuck under his shirt and is presenting to me with much pomp and circumstance) and he said it was a present from GOD. He then handed me 2 tubes of lipstick (I didn't know God cared!) and said

"Mommy, Jesus is God..."

(Right on! This kid really knows his stuff!!!!)

:...and He gives you presents whenever you want."

(Well, I guess that theology needs a little work...)

Sunday, January 29, 6:15AM...Too Early

"Mommy...??"

"Mommy....??"

*kiss* "Mommy...??"

"What is it Nathan?"

"Mommy, the Goose is awake."

"I know, I can hear her."

"I will sing her a song to go back to sleep."

"OK Nathan, that will be nice."

*picks up receiver end of baby monitor that he thinks works 2 ways*
"Luuuuuucy, go to sleeeeeeep.
Luuuuuuucy, go to sleeeeeeep.
Luuuuuucy go to sleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep."

"Nathan, that was really nice-"

"I'm not done yet.
Luuuuuuuuuuucy, go to sleeeeeeeeeeep.
Luuuuuuuucy, go to sleeeeeeeeeeep.
Luuuuuuuucy, go to sleeeeeeeeeeeeeep.
Luuuuuuuucy, go to sleeeeeeeeeeeeep.
Luuuuuuuuucy, go to sleeeeeeeeeeeep."

"That was very kind Nathan, I liked your song."

"Thank you Mommy."

"Mommy.....??"

"Yes, Nathan?"

"You wanna go downstairs and play?"

And Who Doesn't Support Breasts??

Dear Friends and Family,
This year, I'll be participating in a very special event called the Breast Cancer 3-Day.

I'll walk 60 miles over the course of three days with thousands of other women and men. The net proceeds will support breast cancer research, education, screening and treatment through the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and the National Philanthropic Trust Breast Cancer Fund.

I've agreed to raise at least $2,200 in donations. I hope to raise even more and to do that, I need your help. Would you please consider making a donation of $50? Please take a look at the enclosed donation form and designate the amount that's right for you. Please keep in mind how far I'm walking -- and how hard I'll have to train.

I am doing this walk for many reasons including a self promise to improve my health. However, the person I am specifically walking for is my godmother, Susan Armstrong. She has since passed on but I teach her lessons of love, kindness, thirst for life and even pampering to my children every day.

According to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, approximately 200,000 American women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year, and nearly 40,000 will die from the disease. That's why I'm walking so far. To do something bold about breast cancer. I hope that you'll share this incredible adventure with me -- by supporting me in my fundraising efforts.

You can donate online by following this link: http://www.the3day.org/SanDiego06/missthany

Thank you in advance for your generosity!
Sincerely, Bethany Zabrosky

And People Wonder Why I Am So Chatty on the Phone

He stands up from his plate of peanut butter sandwich, walks over to me and says...
"Mom, I can’t eat.
I can’t drink.
I can’t do all those things.

I have to go stinkies."

This is the type of conversation I receive during the day. I pity the person who calls me and gets and earful of nothing in general just because I am happy to hear a grown ups voice!

Save the Birds!

As seen on my instructions for my new frying pan...

CAUTION: For safety, please keep pet birds out of the kitchen. Birds' respiratory systems are sensitive to many kinds of household fumes, including the fumes from extremely overheated non-stick pans.

My Friend Thomas

Today, David, Nate the Great and I went to Perris, CA. to visit THOMAS THE TANK ENGINE! (Or My Friend Thomas as Nathan calls him.) It was a fun event and despite some rearranging of our day, I dont think it could have been planned any better!

While waiting for the MAIN EVENT, Nathan was on my shoulders yelling, Thooooooooooomas! Thooooooooomas! Like he was calling a dog from 4 blocks away. That kid has quite a set of pipes! We had a cool ride on trains pulled by My Friend Thomas and Nathan had such a look of peace and happiness on his face. Not over excitement or even enthusiasm-just a look like he was where he needed to be and how at home he was. I wished the train would take us forever...

After the ride and after Nathan said Thank you to My Friend Thomas we walked around a train and cable car graveyard. The sights and smells were amazing. The beautiful aged trains-and busses too-were wonderful to look at. Nathan even really enjoyed checking them out. This was after Nathan TOTALLY confused the very aged Museum guide when he ran up to the old man and said, Um, excuse me. Can I come look at your trains here in Tidmouth Sheds?(For you non-Thomas people, Thomas and the other trains sometimes reside there.) The old man had no idea what this young lad with the mop of hair was talking about and when I told he guide to just say yes, He became even more confused. We got it sorted out-I think and life went on just fine with David and I laughing at our son with the wonderful imagination.

After offering a chance to have Thomas-sorry-My Friend Thomas painted on his arm (No.) we rode on a trolley car around the Train park. We considered doing more but it was near closing time and we decided to head home. On our way out, we got to see Thomas coming back into station after pulling his last load of passengers. Nathan waved good bye and told Thomas to have a good nights sleep in Tidmouth Sheds. He then turned to us and said, It was a fun day seeing My Friend Thomas, wasnt it?

We smiled and said Absolutely.

You can see the pictures here: http://thezabs.smugmug.com/gallery/965372

We are The Happy but Tired Zabs

PS: Fret not, Lucy was not forgotten. She was with my dear friend Kristen while we had our Date with Nate.

OK, Who Are You and What Did You Do With the REAL Bethany???

So I don’t know what was in the air but when I came home after attending some sort of home decorating Tupperware Party, I wanted to DO something! I had an agenda but I wasn’t sure what it was. I lit candles because I needed to relax and looked around my house.

Suddenly, as if lit from heaven, I was able to see through the mess on my kitchen counter. Quickly, items were practically flying off the counter and into their designated places. I made David get his butt off the couch and put the dishes away. Pretty soon, the kitchen was clean.

But it wasn’t good enough.

I had to put the toaster oven away, find places for counter clutter. Wires were organized, baskets acquired and papers sorted and stashed in an accessible but tidy manner. I moved on to the “dining room” and the table was cleaned, mops and Swiffers found a better home. The piano was cleared off and dusted and even reorganized as to better display some of our things.

I don’t know what got into me but my kitchen is practically spotless! The camera is still on the piano (it really is the safest place for it) and the floor isn’t clean because I HATE cleaning the kitchen floor. I even put my damn bananas in a funny shaped bowl!

You all need to find your way to my house soon before I mess it all up.

Now I need to sit down, my asthma is SO bad now!!

Silence...Is THAT the Racket I am Listening to Right Now??

I am not going to allow myself to be distracted by the computer except to say:

LISTEN...do you hear that?

It is the sound of SILENCE

It is the harmonious melody of two children napping in unison

Who knows how long it will last?

So I will FIGHT the urge to crack open a soda, sit on my butt, watch a movie and look at all your facinating MYSpace [and blogspot!] Pages.

Instead, I will RISE to the occasion and

CLEAN.

MY.

HOUSE.


(or at least the downstairs)

Sing a Song of Lucy

Lucy
by Bethany Zabrosky

sweet child
so soft, so clean
baby girl
smelling of bananas and love
my heart forever changed
smiling face
chirping sounds of joy as my fingers dance on your tummy
laughing eyes

my daughter

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ is... Join the Fun!

This is a cheater blog and is possibly more of a Bulletin but I am choosing to blog it instead. I got this off my MUSICAL GENUIS FRIEND's Site...

Directions: Type "(your name) is" with the quotes, into a Google search then pick out your favorite responses. Copy, then repost your responses:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Bethany is~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bethany is a deep well of creativity, which is the hallmark of a great artist
(who didn't know that already??)

Bethany is having a prosthetic arm fitted next month
(Oh, you didn't hear about the accident with my KitchenAid Stand Mixer?)

Bethany is trying to describe how she feels when she uses her power
(Ummmm, powerful??)

Bethany is an 11" vinyl doll with curly auburn hair
(Okaaaaaay.)

Bethany is a triple-certified yoga instructor
(I'm very bendy)

Bethany is not just a correspondence school offering courses by mail
(Lesson 1: How to properly operate your KitchenAid Stand Mixer)

Bethany is currently serving in 77 locations and 15 foreign countries
(I am everywhere! How do I do it all?!?)

Bethany is going to have a kissing booth
(The line starts right here!)

Bethany is always grateful to receive donations
(Cash is preferable but baked goods and gift certificates are also acceptable.)

And the winner....
Bethany is an even better mating, with better udders and extreme size and stature
(Quit looking at my udders!)

They Make House Calls Now?

I was driving by a house that had a van out in front that read:

Down Under Plumbing

When did OB/GYN's become mobile?

Tales From Customer Service

My friend BigPhatMomma inspired me to post MY Customer Serevice experience I had this morning.

"Thank you for calling PayPal, how can I help you?"

Didn't realize those words would take any coherent thoughts I ever had and twist them into a swirling mass of goo by the time I was done talking to the kind and "helpful" PalPal guy.

I have what is apparently a recycled e-mail address with Cox. Once, some guy who has a name like mine had it and now he doesn't, I do. Every once in awhile I get a goofy forwards from a friend of his who hasn't updated his e-mail account and then I also get quarterly statements from PayPal. After 2 years, I decided to fix that this morning in person and over the phone. (What was I thinking??) I have tried e-mailing before but I think when you e-mail PayPal, they have filters that remove all your vowels, insert q's in their place and THEN try to answer your question.

20 minutes later, after I have had to spell and re-spell my name, the other man's name, the e-mail address, my shoe size and whether I like chocolate or vanilla ice cream, I am told that it is an ISP problem and good luck and have a nice day.

Getting this guy's e-mails is no big deal to me; I have been deleting them for the last 2 years. It just confounds me that a human being who is supposed to be helpful could have such a hard time understanding a concept. The only thing that could explain it is if he was taking two calls at once, or he is two years old.

I Love the Nightlife...

It’s 1:30am and I am up after a brief bit of shut eye. I have a headache from this blasted cold I feel like I have been fighting all of my life. It has moved into my chest so my coughs sound like I need to be trimming my 2 pack a day habit to just 1. (Or just switch cigarette brands.)

Being up at night when the rest of your family is sleeping feels like sneaking around a store after it is closed. You don’t turn on as many lights. Moving objects around, you take great care to keep them quiet. It is a rich feeling, like you have unlimited possibilities of what you can do. Time ceases to exist and the world (as confined by pajama clad activities) is your oyster. Will you clean up your house a little? Do you pay some bills? Start a book? Finish a book? Snack and watch TV? Or write poetic e-mails to your friends about your nightlife?

As I sit here in my pj’s (and a lot of you know what THAT means) I struggle over what to do while waiting for my 1 (one!) Extra Strength Tylenol to kick in. I have a book I started awhile ago that I haven’t really absorbed enough for a late night read. I will probably need to start it over but my internal CPU is operating on insufficient memory right now. If I add more information, things like my children’s names, my shoe size and what kind of car I drive will come running out the other side of my head, lost forever. I emptied the bags from my Target shopping spree (I can never go in there and get just ONE thing) and I could probably clean off the counter a little more. TV is always an option, I have 1,483 channels to choose from, there must be SOMEthing on. I have crocheting to do-I will be managing my own sweat shop from now till Christmas as I make scarves for everyone in my family as presents. (Family who may be reading this: Forget I said that. It isn’t scarves, I am getting you all hundreds of dollars worth of fabulous gifts and prizes!) Or I can simply continue to sit here surfing the internet, glad that no one can see me here in my pajamas (!!) and sandals.

Then there is my most favorite option: one of the above sedimentary activities coupled with falling asleep on my couch. It is so glorious to nap on my couch-a big hug that leaves you wanting for more pillows instead of a husband in your bed. (You are thinking, “Does she really mean that?” YES, I do!) Although sleeping on the couch is wonderful and feels like such a glorious treat, in the morning the magic in the relationship is gone and you can’t understand why the cushions are poking you and how the couch is trying to launch you onto the floor and the pile of clean laundry you were using as a pillow has flattened into an uncomfortable lump. The ends of your feet are slightly numb because the couch is too short by just thismuch and walking feels like a whole new sensation now that you are toeless. You could say it is a hangover (HAHAHAHA bad 1:30am joke!)

I think I will opt for the unmentioned activity of lying in bed and willing my headache to go away. I can feel it fading now and wonder if I gripe too much about only taking 1 (one!!) Extra Strength Tylenol since it does seem to be working a bit. I feel funny sitting here in my pj’s (a bit drafty, really) and I am all too aware that in only 5 hours, I will have a sweet faced boy kissing me awake. (It isn’t as sweet as it sounds, most of the time he forgets and instead puts his face up close to yours and you get to awake to the delightful feeling like you are being watched. And you ARE.)

Good Night.

Welcome to The MexiCocina Open Air Theatre

Nate the Great, Family and our friends Jeremy and Marissa Mann went out to eat last night. We went to what is possibly the BEST Mexican Restaurant at least in Poway-MexiCocina. We decided to sit outside since it was a) a nice night and b) less people to drive crazy with our kids. We ordered some yummy food for the grown ups and we knew better than to get anything for Nathan. He was perfectly content eating chips and chips and chips and rice and chips. Oh, and stirring everyone’s drinks. Besides, he was to preoccupied to eat-he had an audience.

As is his current style, anything Nathan holds is a guitar. This particular night, it was a dinner knife. He stood in his outside patio chair and played his knife. He sang his usual repertoire of songs consisting of Newsboys’ “He Reigns” (how-a-you-yuh) and various U2 selections. When he got to his favorite U2 song, “Vertigo” he decided that his audience needed to really rock it out and he cranked the volume up all the way to 11. We realized that many things converging at the same time got us to this point.

1. We had only a 45 minute nap at about 11:30am that day.
2. We weren’t telling him to be quiet.
3. He really wanted to impress the friends dining with us.
4. He was on a serious tortilla chip high.

We look around and while he is singing, three tables have stopped eating. They have stopped talking. They are all smiling and listening to my son sing. He realized this at the same time we did and like any good performer, straightened up, flashed a smile and began his set list again. He got applause after each song, he had people signing up to join his mailing list and Crayola autographs were handed out by the dozens. And as with the most exciting of rock concerts, it only ended when our singer rocked the stage so much that he almost fell off it. (Remember #1 on our list?)

Regardless, he got quite the ovation and left in rock star spirits with a jacket thrown over his head so the groupies wouldn’t attack him as he climbed into the car seat of his tinted window SUV.

Look for Nate the Great appearing at a restaurant near you!