I have probably told this story in a former birthday blog, but I'm going to tell it again. When he was about four years old I told Blake I wanted us both to write down five traits we wanted to do our best to develop in our son. We spent a few minutes quietly writing and then read each other our lists. He read first, then I read. After I read my list Blake said, "So in other words you want to make our son into a woman." After getting over being highly offended I accepted what he said as a new reality. I was going to need to choose my battles. And I was going to need to choose wisely. I have had to give in on some things. He watches movies with his dad that I want to say no to, he says "crap" when he's mad, he plays video games, and he eats a total of 2 vegetables: lettuce with ranch and raw carrots with ranch. Two nights ago I sat and watched him and Blake with their knives acting out how they would stab someone if they were attacked. I was horrified. And I told them so. And they laughed. And then I laughed too. My poor, poor list.....
This year has been the biggest year of change for him so far. He has become a leader, an initiator, a decision maker, a protector. Somehow over the last year I have realized that when Blake's not around and we have to go out: grocery shopping, market shopping, running errands...he takes the lead. He tells me the best place to park, he talks me through the nerve wracking driving of ridiculous narrow roads, aggressive chicken busses, swerving motorcycles, and sudden street processionals. His calm voice and no non-sense commands have gotten me out of more messes than I count. He leads the way through town, taking different routes depending on what he sees ahead. I don't know how it happened, but in many ways we suddenly have another man in the family.
Camden has recently joined a soccer team here in Magdalena. They don't practice and have one game on Saturdays. Best league ever. ;) It's his first step into entering the culture here in Magdalena. Where his sister leaps head first into new experiences...he crawls....slowly. So far, the boys from the team here are much kinder than the ones in the Antigua league that we tried, and I pray that it stays that way. I want him to stick this out, to succeed, to acclimate. I want to push him sometimes, and other times I want to fiercely protect his cautiousness.
Although he hasn't become Guatemalan by any stretch of the imagination, he likes it here. He says if he could choose for us to move back to the states, he would not choose it. We spent September thru December in the states last year and he was very ready to get back "home" here in Guatemala. He loves our new house. He loves his bigger room and his desk that his PaPa made him. He misses his friend from our neighborhood in Antigua though. They played together every day. And he misses his best friend Noah that moved back to the states. He is a one or two best friends kind of guy. I'm naturally that way too. It can be a problem.
He loves the teams side of our job...particularly semester students and summer staff...college kids that are here for 2-4 months. He is all over that. Scooting his chair around the same table. Talking to them for as long as they listen. Laughing at their jokes. Talking about them after they've gone. I don't think they realize the influence they have on him. I'm grateful for this facet of our life here. Grateful for these people that enter our lives and give Camden real life examples of young people that are fun but have hearts to serve the Lord and others.
He enjoys working with the sports site when he gets a chance. He got to ride a public chicken bus with the sports site the other day and has talked about it a dozen times since then. He's the first in the family to do it. He might be the last as well. I'd rather not ever do it. He had an injury one day when playing soccer with the sports site. He got to wear a knee brace for eight days. Hope was green with jealousy.
He starts seventh grade on Monday. He loves Science. He gets it. I don't. He should be the teacher. He is really, really into comics/super heros/marvel/DC comics... He knows all the characters and their stories. He and Blake watch two shows: Flash and Arrow...an episode of each every night or so. Hope and I stay in the room with them, but we play on the ipad. Or watch episodes of 19 and counting with headphones.
He is a picky eater, but he at least has matured enough to feel bad about it. He likes my hot sauce. It's his main source of vegetables. I try to make it a lot. He eats cereal and granola bars between meals. He eats about 7 times a day right now. He drinks chocolate milk with our milk when it goes sour. It's awesome. Milk goes bad fast here, but I never have to throw it out. It's a win/win.
He's 5'3 now and 90 pounds. He's grown so, so much since January. But he's still skin and bones with a little bit of muscle. He loves to show all of us how his ribs stick out when he sucks his stomach in. He prides himself for being the skinniest in the family. Hope, Blake and I all tell him we despise him when he scarfs down 7 pieces of pizza or 8 chicken tacos. And all of us have declined his offer to be our personal trainer.
Lastly I have to write about what an amazing brother he is. He and Logan are buddies already. They adore each other. Camden says that we have to have to, have to, move to Texas when he goes back to the states for college or work. He says that we must live close enough for him to come get Logan for the day whenever he wants. Doesn't that just make your heart squeeze? Logan has been the perfect set up for so many conversations on him becoming a man, a dad, and a husband one day. I have tried hard to ask more questions and give less opinions when those conversations come up. I want to help him think about the man, dad, and husband he wants to be. My goal is to cheer him on in his decisions, not manipulate him into mine. I've torn up my list. And I'm definitely okay with that. I like who he is becoming.
