Happy 10th Birthday, Ethan!

THE TOP TEN THINGS TO LOVE ABOUT ETHAN

10) His Awesome Hair
---Who doesn't love to run their hands over a buzzed head?  (And his curls are pretty sweet, too!)

9) His Intrigue About Things Mechanical or Construction-Oriented
---If you can build it or fix it with assorted tools that might be carried in a tough looking box...or if you drive it and it has lots of levers, Ethan is probably interested.  If there is a small plumbing/construction/electrical/demolition, etc. project around the house, Ethan is the one to call to give you a hand!

8) His Giggle
---Uncontainable silly delight...sometimes, I'm jealous...

7) His Amazing Story Comprehension Skills
---I am sure that Ethan has saved the other three Tapper kids hundreds of times during post-Bible-reading question periods.  He has exceptional listening skills when it comes to narratives, also a tremendous ability to recap what he has heard in his own words.  Although academic reading and writing have brought considerable challenge for Ethan, this is where he really shines!

6) His Inability to Hold a Grudge
---Smiles just slip out on the boy while he is trying to be upset about something.  It's very cute!

5) His Quick, Dry Wit
---Ethan is the king of the deadpan expression while delivering the most ridiculous responses.  Spend any length of time around him, and he's sure to pull one on you :)

4) His Willingness to Sacrifice to Help Others
---With his super-sensitive abilities, Ethan often detects undercurrents of others' frustration or longing.  When this radar is working well, his response is almost always self-sacrifice to meet the other's needs.  He is wonderfully generous individual who generally holds his own possessions very lightly.

3) His Ripped Body
---Zero body fat.  Crazy abdominals.  Everything pops.  One tight little package.

2) His Great Hugs
---Ethan's hugs are never one-armed, half-hearted affairs.  At 10 years, he is still all-in. 

1) His Courage
---John Wayne said, "Courage is being scared to death...and saddling up anyway."  Harper Lee defined courage this way: "Real courage is when you know you're licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what."  Finally, Clare Boothe Luce suggested, "Courage is the ladder on which all the other virtues mount."  As Ethan matures, I watch his external anxiety become less and less visible.  I know he still fights it, but, yes!--he certainly is a tough little fighter.  And I am so eager to see how that courageous spirit will enable other virtues to blossom in his life.

Welcome to the double digits, buddy!  We love you so much!!!