ETHANISMS

Over the past few months I have been collecting a few, what I term Ethanisms. These are those funny sayings, interesting expressions, or quirky habits he has. Sometimes these have been going on for a while, and sometimes they just show up out of nowhere. Here are two that I am particularly fond of

A HUMAN TOUCH

While driving to a meeting on a Saturday afternoon, I could tell that the sun was in Ethan's eyes and was bothering him. As the sun visor was ineffective, I suggested he take my sunglasses and place them over his eyeglasses.

He thought it was a very good idea, so he grabbed them and rested them on his face, apparently content  now that the sun was no longer an issue.

About two minutes later, I glanced over and saw that the sunglasses were put up. I asked him what was wrong and he said, "Dad, they, they, they've got... they've got human touches."

"Human touches? Do you mean they have smears on the lenses?"

"Yes, they've been human touched!"

PRAYING

We have had plenty of fun and tender experiences while Ethan prays. As his prayers are traditionally by rote, incorporating change is sometimes difficult. Consider when Michael left. We reminded him to pray for Michael, then asked him what he thought Michael could use on his mission. He replied, "I don't know," so we talk about praying for his language and health and success.

Simple enough, in his next prayer Ethan incorporated the majority of those things into his prayer. After the first time, he includes Michael in every prayer and prays for the exact same thing each time.

Upon returning home from taking Morgan to school, we had Ethan say the prayer. He prayed for Michael, added those things for Michael that he normally says them abruptly closed his prayer and said amen!

"Wait, you forgot Morgan?" I cut in, "Aren't you going to prayer for her?" 

"Oh, yeah," was his reply, "bless Morgan, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen."

Okay, not exactly what we had in mind, but it's a start.

The next time he prayed it was business as usual, "...bless Michael, that he'll be safe and come home soon, learn the language and be a good missionary. In the name..."

"Pray for Morgan" I interjected.

"...of Jesus, Uuuughhhh, bless Morgan, in the name..."

I quickly cut in, "Shouldn't you bless Morgan?"

"Dad!... Bless Morgan at school, in the name..."

Again I interjected, "What does Morgan need at school that you can bless her with?"

"Uuuughhhh, bless Morgan..." he fell silent.

then after a long pause he slowly whispered, "...with a date!"