Noble.

Those of you who know our family well will understand - he is one of the great challenges and joys of my life. ONE OF A KIND. When he was born, along with the bond I felt, I had a strong impression about his purpose in this life. I've often wondered about that, and tried to reconcile it with the aggravation I so often feel at his choices. Sometimes I think that the reason I had those impressions was because I would need to fall back on that assurance in moments when I just feel hopeless with him. Frequently.
If you don't know him - let me explain. He's very clever (case in point: he named the Space Donkey) which can be a delight when he uses his powers for good (see photo - One of his many Noble-isms. We liked this one so much we put it on a t-shirt)He has a good heart - though I think he leaves his "heart" out on most of the decision making. He always seems to be at the center of trouble around here (and wherever he goes) - so that whenever something is amiss we instinctively yell out, "NOBLE!!!!". I sometimes feel guilty that he gets profiled like this - but then again, 99% of the time the assumption is accurate... like the other night. After a LONG day (don't ask) we were FINALLY eating dinner at like 8:00 and I walked upstairs to see the tub filled almost to the brim. The big frog bath-toy holder had been disassembled and used (along with the bathroom stool and about 50 Star Wars guys) to construct a water city. I think I turned purple yelling for Noble.
You'd think after so many years with him I'd be patient. The hardest thing is when I get in trouble because of him. (grrrrr.) A month or so ago I had a talking to by one of our neighbors (the latest in a series of complaints) about something(s) Noble had done or instigated (because he's ALWAYS leading others down the dark path - right?). I tried to smooth things over - and had another talk with Noble. Then half an hour later I look out the window and he's built a GIANT catapult on our front lawn with the hammock and he's explaining to a crowd of neighbor kids about fulcrums and levers and hurling rocks and other stuff across the front yard. One kid is actually straddling the catapult arm as Noble explains about what will happen to the rock when he lets go. And I'm thinking - "He's going to injure someone and then my neighbor will never talk to me again." At the time I was too frazzled and discouraged to see the genius in it. I should have taken a picture - because, as usual with Noble, it was SO cool.
I keep hope alive that he'll one day learn to live up to his potential. Until then I really need to work on my sense of humor.