What is Everett like at age 7?

Everett is so many things.  I love this boy with all of my heart.  I loved him when as a baby he wouldn't let anyone else hold him and wanted to be fed All The Time, I loved him at age two and three when he had fifty tantrums a day, and I love him now.  I don't know anyone who has as much excitement for life as Everett does.

He is a feeler and a do-er.  Everett feels every emotion with conviction and intensity.  This means he is very empathetic and is great at recognizing others' needs.  He also feels frustration easily and strongly, but I have been amazed at the ability he has already developed to control those powerful emotions in a productive way.  His loyalty and love for me means that he is generally always willing to do whatever I ask him to without complaint.  I really do not think I could run this house without him.

A few days ago, Everett saw me sit down rather heavily.  This pregnancy has been filled with aches and pains, and though I'm careful to not worry the kids with my complaints, Everett must have seen the pain on my face.  He sat right next to me, put his arm around me, and said simply, "I know it's hard to carry a big baby around all day."

He loves to make people laugh.  When the missionaries from our church come over for dinner, Everett has a very hard time controlling his desire to be extremely clown-ish for the duration of the evening.  Everett genuinely likes everyone he meets and does not understand how people can say rude things.  Once or twice Everett confessed to me in tears that a friend had said something hurtful to him.  I did my best to reassure him and offer some perspective.  Even though Everett is very teachable in those moments, he cannot wrap his mind around how someone could be intentionally or casually cruel to a classmate.

Everett also has a pure, unshakable conviction of the power of prayer.  He leans on prayer.  He always reminds me that he needs to say a prayer before he goes to sleep (because I would never remember if left to my own devices, unfortunately).  Everett loves to pray.  He usually prays for almost everyone he knows so sometimes his prayers are quite long.

For a long time, Everett complained about going to church.  I considered many different options, and kept him in my own prayers, but nothing really worked to help him feel more inclined to be more positive.  I think a lot of this had to do with the hours of sitting and the uncomfortable clothes (this is a boy who can't even stand wearing jeans).  Case in point: immediately after we park the car in the garage after church, Everett RUNS up to his room and tears his clothes off, then usually changes into pajamas.  One morning, Everett prayed that he would have a nice time at church.  I didn't think much of it until later that day when I realized that it had been the first Sunday in a long, long time that Everett had not complained.  When I pointed this out to Everett, he beamed.  He prayed for himself every week after that and has never had another problem.

What a simple solution to an issue I had been trying to solve in a more complicated way!



One time on the way home from school, Everett did something inappropriate (I can't remember what) so I confiscated his Ewok.  Everett was, understandably, upset by that and stewed the entire way home.  We all climbed out of the car and went inside and eventually Everett earned his Ewok back.  I thought that was all there was to the story until later that night when I was tucking Everett in bed.  He told me that when he was sitting in the car that afternoon, he had a feeling that he should look after James.  Everett jumped to it and saw that someone was in the middle of slamming the door shut right where James's hand was.  Everett reached out and stopped the door just in time, keeping James from having an injured hand.  "Mommy," Everett said soberly, "Even though I was feeling angry, I listened to the Holy Ghost and he helped me to save James's life today."  Everett would do anything for his little brother James.

Our nighttime conversations are precious.  These are the times when Everett is the most open with me.  We often spend quite a while talking about the things that are worrying him.  I just listen and reassure as much as possible but when I do give Everett some advice, he is always eager to listen.

On one such night, Everett confided in me, "Mommy, I just don't like William very much."  I smiled.  I understood the feeling.  William was just getting old enough to do many annoying things to an older brother.  Everett's eyes were glossed with shame, so with my arm around him, I reassured Everett that his feelings were normal, that everyone feels that way from time to time about their siblings, and that there is absolutely nothing wrong with him.  Then I told him some things from my childhood and we talked about how if he wants to build a stronger love for William, the best thing to do is to serve him.  Everett eagerly accepted this advice.  I have not reminded him to do nice things for William, but ever since that night, Everett has made a conscious, daily effort to involve William in his activities, serve him, and treat him with respect.  I still hear bickering, but they have become much closer.

Everett and Ashley have always been close.  Everett was less than two years old when she was born, so he has never remembered life without her.  One time a neighborhood friend said something that hurt Ashley's feelings.  When she crumpled into tears during dinner after telling us what had happened, Everett must have felt the need to make it better.  So early the next morning he walked next door with her and helped her to articulate that her feelings had been hurt and kindly requested that the friend please not say that again.  I did not know they did this until after it happened, but when I saw confidence in Ashley that hadn't been there before, I was less worried.

When we moved to our new city this summer, both kids had to make new friends at school.  Everett found a best friend very quickly.  Ashley likes to build friendships more slowly, and often was alone (though not necessarily lonely) at recess.  Everett noticed this and made sure that she could play with him and his friend each recess if it made her feel more comfortable.  Everett's sweet friend never complained, to my knowledge.

(Everett hates spelling.  Needless to say, I think we need to go over his middle name, which is Wayne.)

And, just for fun, this is what Everett's primary class said about him this year.  It's pretty accurate, I think!