All seven of us

Occasionally I wonder what life will be like ten years from now.  If I did that more often, it might give me some perspective on today.

What I imagine for Zach in 10 years:

• High school graduate
• Returned missionary
• College student
• Very, very tall

Today Zach is:

• Hormonal/emotional/whatever this is
• Developing friendships with Jacob, Jaden, and Braedon
• Obsessed with hanging out with said friends
• Independent enough to ride his bike to the Y and the nearest grocery store
• Doing his own laundry with startling infrequency
• Not conscious enough of personal hygiene
• Talking like a baby (literally) to amuse himself/annoy others
• Taller than his mother

What I imagine for Tyler in 10 years:

• High school graduate
• Entertaining multiple college options and/or scholarships
• Super energetic missionary in some part of the world

Today Tyler is:

• Creating cool things in art class
• Blowing his teachers away at school
• A Bear in Cub Scouts
• Trying to be like Zach and his friends, but inwardly content to be a child
• Obsessed with "riding shotgun" in the van, only because it makes Zach crazy
• Best friends with Carter
• Learning to ride a Ripstik
• On his way to completing the spring reading challenge at school
• Flying through his piano lessons and learning his first simplified hymn

What I imagine for Gavin in 10 years:

• Freshman in high school
• Very, very tall
• Climbing something high and dangerous
• Speaking in grunts and two-word sentences
• Pretending not to be Lexi's best friend

Today Gavin is:

• A very impressive expert on the monkey bars
• Considering a possible future in gymnastics
• Loving wheels: bikes, scooters, etc; and balls: soccer, football, basketball
• Loving television, especially Johnny Test
• Charming his mother with the best laugh in the entire world
• Really growing up

What I imagine for Lexi in 10 years:

• Finishing her first year as a teenager
• Being the same age as my girls at church
• Obsessed with her friends and her hair and her clothes
• Not appreciating my wisdom or companionship

Today Lexi is:

• Shy
• Resisting formerly enjoyable things: preschool, church, friends, babysitters, YMCA child watch
• Constantly begging to go to Primary, play with friends, attend school, and have babysitters
• Coloring in the lines
• Writing her name with a lower-case, upside down "e"
• Playing soccer for the first time
• Mostly sleeping all night in her bed...
• Loving her scooter

What I imagine for Kate in 10 years:

• Being the age Zach is right now
• Hormonal/emotional/moody
• Obsessed with her friends and her hair and her clothes
• Finishing up sixth grade

Today Kate is:

• Picking up a new word or two every day
• Saying the end of "drink" with a click of her tongue (it's so cute)
• Sticking out her arms when we ask her to fold them
• Raiding the pantry at least once a day
• Taking off her clothes and diaper whenever she feels like it
• Climbing on everything
• Able to navigate play structures at home and the park
• Running
• Not jumping (but trying so hard)
• A through-and-through Daddy's girl
• Content to putter and play with toys like no other Bartle children have done

What I imagine for Garry and me in 10 years:

• Having just four kids at home
• No car seats, diapers, sippy cups, diaper bags, strollers, training wheels
• Quiet time for me during the day
• Lots of time in the car
• Settling into mid-life
• Approaching our 25th wedding anniversary

Today Garry is:

• Working at Wells Fargo and mostly loving it
• Commuting just 10 minutes
• Cooking a lot
• Taking Lexi to the bathroom every night at 11:00 p.m.
• Serving as the Elders Quorum Secretary at church

Today I am:

• Enjoying my callings with the Young Women and the ward newsletter
• Cleaning, driving, playing, teaching, nurturing five busy kids
• Saving, saving, saving for kindergarten
• Dreaming of a red couch
• Becoming an expert with Band-aids
• Wondering why people say I will miss the preschool years
• Not sleeping enough
• Trying to make it to the gym 3-4 times a week
• Nursing a sore knee and various other health issues
• Enjoying bursts of amazingly beautiful spring weather

The end.  And the beginning.