Poor Ben.

I am not sure if today’s Wednesday funny is a “ha ha” funny…but I think it qualifies. (And all of you who love Ben stories should enjoy it).

I have said it before and I will say it again. Ben is SMART. Not just normal kid smart…really smart. He remembers everything…he picked up English ridiculously fast (after being home for 7 months he understands probably 98% of what we say, and he speaks almost as well as any other kid in the house). He is a whiz at math and is getting better at reading by the minute (and is already on grade level for a typical first grader without going to Kindergarten at all).

He understands things like time and the days of the week, etc. You never have to tell him what day it is, and only a few weeks into school, he not only knows which day he has show and tell, library, etc. but what days all of his brothers and sisters have show and tell and library and activities.

As I have written about quite a bit, we have been very busy with soccer, which Ben has just loved. He played lots of soccer while still in Ethiopia at the orphanage, and had Josh and I play with him whenever we were in the hotel room (we moved furniture around to make “goals”.) I think his fist English sentence was “Mom kick ball” and “Yay Benjamin Goal!!!!!! When we catch professional soccer on the TV he is entranced, and he had a blast watching a movie with Josh this weekend called “The Miracle Match” (soccer movie).

So this morning Ben got up, ate his Cocoa Puffs (his absolute favorite breakfast), got dressed, brought me his library books, reminded Shane it was his show and tell day, and then pulled out his soccer uniform for “later”.

I looked at him and reminded him that last week had been the last week of soccer (we even went out to eat to celebrate).

He looked at me and said, “But it is Wednesday. Wednesday is for soccer.” So I tried to explain that soccer was just for two months and now is done, because soon it will be too snowy to play soccer, but that we would definitely play again next year.

He looked at me and said, “Soccer should NOT be done.” I apologized, and waited to see what he would do, while he stared longingly at his neon green soccer shirt and socks and royal blue shorts…his prized soccer uniform.

Ben- “Can I keep my uniform?”

Me-“Yes, it is yours.”

Ben-“Can I still wear it?”

Me-“Yes, but no shorts at school, the shirt is fine though, and not to church.” (I could just see it…)

Ben-“I can even wear my big green socks under my pants to school?”

Me-“Sure, that would be great. And very warm.”

Ben-“And you promise we can play again next year?”

Me-“Yes, I promise.”

Ben-“OK…no more soccer for now.”

As I write this, he has his socks on his hands as “goalie gloves” and two of his siblings kicking a small rubbery soccer ball at him in the hallway. So much for no more soccer for now! :)